An Interrupted Journey
by leavesfallingup
Summary: Lady Catherine's journey south is interrupted when her daughter Anne suffers an attack of asthma. The help she receives changes the lives of many... and the path of P&P. Life is a series of interrupted journeys. Sometimes it is the dips in the road that define us.
1. An Impertinent Young Girl

**An Interrupted Journey**

_Lady Catherine's journey south is interrupted when her daughter Anne suffers an attack of asthma. The help she receives changes the lives of many... and the path of P&P._

"_Life is a series of interrupted journeys. Sometimes it is the dips in the road that define us." _– _Unknown Author_

**Chapter One – An impertinent young girl**

Lady Catherine de Bourgh frantically struck her cane against the roof of her carriage, then turned her attention back to her Anne. Anne was struggling for breath, inhaling loudly but ineffectually, while her useless companion fluttered and fussed and generally made matters worse.

The coachman pulled them off the road at a busy coaching inn in outside of Nottingham. It had been dark when they departed Sheffield, and it was still early in the when they pulled over. As a result, there were no rooms yet available when the coachman rushed in. Mrs. Chester, the innkeeper's wife, was a kindly woman, who, upon hearing about Anne's distress immediately sent her two servants scurrying to prepare the private dining room. She also sent her boy running for the doctor. All this was done quickly, even before the footman carried the gasping young woman through the front doors.

Lady Catherine followed, issuing contradictory instructions and barking demands in her desperation. She caught a glimpse of the young girl sitting and holding a book in the room they entered, but paid her no mind. All of her attention was for her struggling daughter.

Twelve year old Lizzy Bennet, having woken early and under strict instructions not to leave the inn, had taken up her book, descended to the main floor, and politely requested a private place to sit and read. Mrs. Chester had kindly seated her in a corner of the private room next to a window that took the morning sun. There the girl sat, reading her text and ignoring the rising sounds of activity around her. She was used to the chaos of a large, boisterous family after all.

The Bennets were returning from a visit to Mrs. Bennet's relatives in Leeds, though in actuality it had been more of an exploratory venture than a visit of pleasure. Mama's uncle had passed away and Fanny Bennet had been hoping that there might be a bequest awaiting her. There had been something, though Lizzy never learned the details, but whatever the bequest was, it was not sufficient to please her mother. Now they were nearing the end of their journey home... and if the weather held and the rest of the family woke in time, they might complete their trek on this very day.

Lizzy hadn't actually noticed when the servants bustled in and hurriedly began rearranging the room, so intent was she on a particular page. They didn't notice her either, so she was still there when the older girl was rushed in, gasping, followed by her shrill, worried mother. It only took a moment for Lizzy to recognize what was happening... after all, she had seen this same condition all too many times of late. Without a word she bookmarked her page, hopped off of her chair, and ran up the stairs to the room assigned to the Bennet daughters.

Of the four girls in the room, only Mary lifted her head to regard her. Lizzy went straight to the brown valise, the one which carried all of the Bennet ladies' medicines and necessities. In a trice she found what she needed, waved at Mary, and was gone again.

Lizzy reached the foot of the stairs just as little James, the Chester's boy, was breathlessly telling his mother that the doctor was out on a call. Mrs. Chester was wringing her hands in worry, so it took a moment for Lizzy to gain her attention, "Mrs. Chester, I know what to do. Please bring boiling water and clean sheet. Hurry!" Desperate for any guidance, the woman didn't hesitate to obey the young girl who spoke with the voice of authority.

Lady Catherine looked up as a curly-haired girl pushed in, followed by the Innkeeper's wife and a little boy. "Where is the doctor! I asked you to send for him immediately!"

As poor Mrs. Chester wrung her hands and tried to answer, Lizzy took the steaming pot and pushed past the pair. Then she began issuing instructions to the footman. "Lift her up. That's right, here, put this over your head..."

"What is the meaning of this!? Who is this girl!?" Lady Catherine demanded. Lizzie, having est the steaming pot on the chair in front of the cot where the gasping young lady was, began crushing leaves and dropping them into the water. As she did this, she turned her head and replied, "My sister Kitty also has the asthma*. One of my uncle's ships brought this back from a place called Sydney. It is the only thing that helps her to breath whenever this happens." Turning away from the startled mother, Lizzy threw the sheet over the both her head and the frantic young woman's. Then she took her hands, "Look at me. That's right. This will help, but you have to take slow breaths. There, now push out as much air as you pull in. No... don't take a breath unless you expel one. Look at me... doesn't that smell good? It's called eucalyptus... a funny name, right? It comes from the other side of the world. There... you're already breathing better."

In almost any other time, Lady Catherine would have had the impertinent girl tossed out on her ear, even had her pilloried. At that moment, however, she was so desperate that she stood by long enough for the girl to successfully execute her remedy. The entire room watched as the young lady's struggles gradually subsided and she began to breath normally again. Then the young girl extracted her own sweaty head from under the sheet, and smiled, "She will be better now, Madam." She held up the leather bag, "If you have a method of carrying it, I could leave some of the leaves with you for the rest of your journey. I'm sure that my father would not object since Kitty had done well on our trip and we should reach home tonight."

Lady Catherine only harrumphed, so Lizzie shrugged, curtsied, took up her book, and left the occupants of the private room in peace. It was not exactly proper to do so, but Lizzie took up station in the common room to continue reading. She couldn't leave the inn and walk, as was her habit in the mornings, and she didn't wish to return to the dark and stuffy room upstairs. The guests came in and out, serving themselves at the sideboard, breaking their fast, and paying no attention to the girl. A few noticed her dark, curly hair and somewhat pretty face. Others noticed that her reading material seemed to put a sparkle in her eyes. One young man thought that, were she just a little older... But she noticed none of them...

Until an authoritarian voice demanded, "What are you reading, girl?"

Lizzy looked up and smiled at the woman from before, "Oh, hello Madam," she set the book on the table, stood, and curtsied. "Is the young lady recovered?"

"My name is _Lady _Catherine de Bourgh, not 'Madam,' and the 'young miss' is my daughter, Miss Anne de Bourgh. And who might you be?"

Lizzy, unperturbed, answered, "Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn, my Lady. I am very pleased to meet you."

Lady Catherine was gratified to discover that the girl was at least a gentleman's daughter, "That remains to be seen. Now, my question: What are you reading?"

"The Republic, my Lady. Have you read it? It is one of my father's favorites," she showed the embossed leather book to her interrogator.

Lady Catherine raised her eyebrows imperiously and took a seat across from the girl without asking leave, "Plato is hardly proper reading material for a young girl."

Unabashed, Lizzy grinned and answered, "The answer to that, I conjecture, is found in this same volume, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Plato said, 'Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each'."

"That is fine for sons, but hardly applies towards the proper raising of young girls." The lady pronounced.

Lizzie nodded, "My mother would agree. She says that our purpose is to make the best marriage we can and that men do not want intelligent wives. My father, though, believes that men and women should learn as much as they have the capacity to handle. Surely, my Lady, this potential husband Mama implies cannot be much of a man if he is afraid of an intelligent woman?"

The Lady, already upright of posture, seemed to puff up even more, "You express your opinions quite decidedly for one so young. Tell me girl, how old are you? You cannot be more than one and ten?"

The girl grinned impertinently and raised one eyebrow, "I am not three and ten, Lady Catherine."

"Harrumph. Now that my Anne is able to breath, we will continue our journey. Although I question your impertinence, your methods seem to have been somewhat beneficial. Therefore I would request some of the leaves your employed... and to learn how more may be procured."

Lizzy was happy to assist, even though the lady's tone was officious. She actually rather liked the woman. She was less pleased at the lady's reaction to discovering that she had relations in trade, however. Her uncle was one of her favorite people and her new aunt, his bride, promised to become even more so. Lizzy was old enough to understand the distinctions set by society, but that didn't mean that she necessarily agreed.

The de Bourgh carriage was well down the road before any of the rest of Lizzy's family rose that day. Although the innkeeper and his wife were grateful for her intervention, they never thought to mention the incident to either of the Bennet parents. By nightfall the family was home with none the wiser about Lizzy's morning adventure.

Meanwhile, Lady Catherine and her weary daughter proceeded on to Rosings, with an overnight stop at Darcy House in London. While Anne slept off the exhaustion from her ordeal, Lady Catherine found herself thinking of the impertinent little girl. As much as her natural inclination led her to disdain the child's behavior and upbringing, she also wished that her own dear Anne had even a little of that same spark. She would never admit it to anybody, but she had rather enjoyed meeting the outspoken creature.

© 2019. Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purposes of publication without the author's permission is forbidden.


	2. Loss and Remembrance

**An Interrupted Journey**

**Chapter Two – Loss and Recollection**

It was dark. It was always dark... and stale. How long had it been since the doors were opened? She couldn't blame anyone else. It had been by her own orders. But it was dark and she was dreadfully tired of dark.

It had been dark ever since that day, the day her dear Anne took her final breath. The same day, though she hadn't learned it until much later, that her brother-in-law, George Darcy also took his final breath. If she hadn't insisted on their annual visit; If she hadn't been pushing for an alliance between their houses; would it have all ended differently?

Anne had never improved greatly, but she had improved. When Lady Catherine had met with the tradesman, Gardiner, he had done more than just supply her with the leaves. He had also spoken of the young doctor who subscribed to more modern methods and decried bleeding and other macabre practices. She had been skeptical, at first, yet also desperate. And it _had_ helped. Over that next year Anne had grown healthier, though the attacks never fully went away.

And then scarlet fever had struck Derbyshire at the same time as their annual visit. Lady Catherine hadn't known it right away. In fact, they were well on their road home to Rosings when the symptoms appeared and rapidly struck Anne and her companion down and yet skipped cruelly over Lady Catherine. It had happened so quickly. How could they have known? They had stopped in a largish village and called for help. Her beloved only child died in a barn, the only place the doctor and populace would allow to the infected young woman. They wouldn't even allow her to bring her daughter's body home, instead whisking the body away for immediate burial.

Lady Catherine had crawled home to Rosings once that hateful doctor had allowed her out of quarantine... but it wasn't home anymore. She lived there... if it could be called living... but she kept it dark. After all, wasn't her beloved Anne also in a dark place?

But now it was too dark. _I cannot be like this any longer. I am Lady Catherine de Bourgh, daughter of an Earl, sister of an Earl, wife of a Baronet, and owner of one of the proudest estates in England!_

"Matthews!"

"Yes, Lady Catherine?"

"It is too dark in here. Open up the curtains! Open up some windows! I want light in here!" The startled man was dumbstruck, but he hurriedly complied. Both of them winced at the brightness, yet the curtains remained open. Matthews never commented, yet he had tears in the corners of his eyes at this change. He was loyal. He had remained when so many others had left. Still, he had despaired of seeing life in Rosings or its mistress ever again.

oOo

It was not enough. There was light again... and air. New staff had been hired and Rosings had been energetically cleaned from top to bottom. But it was not enough. She needed a change of scenery. A fresh place, un-shadowed by memories of Anne... at least for a while.

So she traveled. First to London to visit a dear friend. Then to her childhood home in Matlock visiting her brother, now the Fitzwilliam family patriarch and a great disappointment. She spent a summer in the Fitzwilliam family home in Bath. Then she traveled back to Pemberley, despite a certain animosity she felt towards the place. None of it satisfied.

Of particular annoyance was the manner in which little Georgiana flinched every time she offered correction to the girl. Surely there was no reason for such timidity? True, Lady Catherine liked to have her say, but it wasn't as if she was going to eat the girl! Why couldn't the timid thing be like that other little girl? What was her name? Elizabeth.

_Now there was a girl who knew how to hold her own against the world..._To say that the thought stuck with the lady would have been an understatement. With each passing day the chance encounter was remembered and revisited with surprising clarity and no small measure of enjoyment. At one point Lady Catherine drifted off at the Darcy dinner table and the girl's impertinence actually made her giggle. When she came to herself the Darcys, brother and sister alike, seemed suspended in mid-movement, forks halfway to their mouths. _Ridiculous! It is not as if I have never laughed in front of them before! Such utter nonsense!_

The following morning, much to the relief of the Darcy siblings, Lady Catherine de Bourgh had her carriage readied and began her journey south.

oOoOOoOo

Lizzie Bennet stomped out of the house, chased by her mother's shrill voice, "Hill! Hill!" She was fifteen. Soon she would be sixteen, and her mother had insisted on her being "out." It was ridiculous! It wasn't that Lizzie was worried about public events; she was completely comfortable with social interaction. It wasn't that she didn't want to dance; she loved dancing and was quite good at it, if modesty would permit the assertion. And it wasn't exhibiting, though she wasn't technically gifted at the pianoforte. It was her mother's obsession with marriage that was the issue.

Poor, compliant Jane, truly the most beautiful girl Lizzie had ever beheld, was already much sought after, though nobody of any significance had yet offered marriage. Men stared at her, ogled her, and drooled over her. Some became tongue-tied and couldn't utter a coherent word. Others were verbose in proclaiming their own worth in order to impress her. Others... the ones who worried Jane and Lizzie the most, tried to take liberties when they could.

If Mama were different, this would be preventable, but she was so obsessed with finding husbands for her daughters that she had pushed Jane into more than one dangerous situation. Lizzie suspected that her mother wouldn't have minded a compromise if it resulted in a marriage, forced or otherwise.

Now her sights had begun to fix on Lizzie, and Lizzie wanted nothing to do with her mother's schemes. It didn't help that her mother persistently pointed out how beautiful Jane was while _she_ was so lacking in that department. Even worse, she constantly berated Lizzie for her reading. "No man wants an girl who thinks she's _intelligent, _Lizzie! Who ever heard of such a thing! You'll be the ruin of us all! But then you already have been, haven't you?"

All of that would have been endurable, but this morning was the final straw. Lizzie had only recently spent two months with her beloved aunt and uncle, the Gardiners. While there, as an early birthday gift, Madeline Gardiner had taken her to her own modiste and ordered _five dresses_ for Lizzie. They were truly beautiful, and just her style: simple, modest, and elegant.

Lizzie had been so proud of those dresses and had dreamed about wearing each one to an assembly, or even a ball. When she returned to Longbourn, she had safely put the dresses away to prevent any potential damage. But when Lizzie opened her wardrobe that morning, it was to discover that the dresses were gone! At first she had suspected Lydia, her very spoiled youngest sister. What she learned instead was that Mama had taken the dresses to Meryton's dressmaker and had instructed her to _modify _them! Lizzie knew what _modify _meant! She would want the whole festooned with lace, except for the bodice, which she would wish lowered to _enhance_ the display of her decolletage!

Lizzie had protested, even taking her complaints to her father, but he had only laughed the matter off and returned to his book. _That _was the final straw. Her father, who was supposed to defend her, would not take the time.

Her thoughts were thunderous as she stomped and groused all of the way to Meryton, barely noticing the large, fancy, crested carriage that passed her going in the opposite direction.

oOo

It was a very tired young woman who arrived back at Longbourn an hour later. Four dresses could become exceedingly heavy and cumbersome when carried by hand for two miles. There should have been five, but the fifth had already been dissected to begin the modifications and would now have to be restored. Thankfully the dressmaker knew the Bennets well and liked Lizzie or the whole would have been a loss. It might cause problems with Mrs. Bennet, but they both knew that Lizzie would bear the brunt of her mother's displeasure anyway, no matter who was at-fault.

When Lizzie finally turned the final corner onto the circular drive, she was taken aback to see a huge, fancy carriage with four beautiful matched horses. Lizzie wasn't fond of horses yet even she could recognize their beauty, and this quartet was definitely of the finest quality.

The house was strangely silent when she walked in. Before proceeding to the drawing room, she handed Sarah the dresses along with a padlock she had purchased. Then she stepped into the room to find her mother, father, and sisters all sitting very erect and still, while another older woman seemed to be holding court. Had the Queen herself been in the room, she could not have looked more regal than this lady.

All heads turned. All eyes fixed on Lizzie. Lydia looked miffed. Kitty looked overwhelmed. Mary looked irritated that she was losing time better spent in practice _or _perhaps because her father wouldn't allow her to exhibit for their guest. Jane seemed serene, yet also intimidated. Mama was both awed and irritated. And Papa looked amused as he raised a challenging eyebrow at her. _Why is everyone focusing on me?_ Lizzie took all of this in a moment, then turned her attention to the lady. Recognition dawned but eluded her for another long moment, and then she smiled and curtsied, "My Lady, how very nice to see you again. May I ask...?"

The woman's stern face relaxed and she seemed both sad and somehow pleased to be recognized. "I'm afraid that my Anne is no longer with me, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. She died of scarlet fever more than a year ago." She stood, never taking her eyes off of Lizzie, "Miss Elizabeth, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it, if you will favor me with your company."

It seemed more an order than a question, but it was also a welcome diversion from Elizabeth's irritation of the morning. Still angry with both mother and father, she did not deign to consult them, rather saying, "Certainly, my Lady."

Although not consulted, Fanny Bennet squawked, "Go, my dear and shew her ladyship about the different walks. I think she will be pleased with the hermitage."

The others remained stone silent as the two stepped out and turned down the lane toward the park. Finally, Lizzy said, "Forgive me, my Lady, but it has been a considerable time since we spoke, and I cannot seem to recall your name."

The lady replied sternly, "Remembering names is a vital and required skill in a young woman, Miss Bennet, but as you were quite young and our meeting very brief, I shall not hold it against you." Although her tone seemed hard, there was a twinkle in the older woman's eyes which softened the reply. "I am Lady Catherine de Bourgh."

Lizzy stopped walking, causing the lady to stop and turn. Grinning, she dipped a curtsy and said, "Then I am pleased to meet you again, _Lady Catherine de Bourgh..." _Her smile faded and her expression saddened, "And I am truly sorry to hear about your daughter."

Lady Catherine only nodded, her expression momentarily bleak before she shook it off and continued walking. They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copse. Elizabeth decided to wait for the lady to speak, since she sensed some purpose in this visit. Once they reached the small grove, the older woman turned, "You can have no idea as to the reason for my journey here, Miss Bennet."

"You are correct, Lady Catherine, I have not been able to account for the honor of seeing you here. Though I should remark that here I am Miss Elizabeth, as my older sister, Jane, is yet unmarried."

"Very well. Miss Elizabeth, my character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. Our meeting came to my remembrance some time ago and had remained with me ever since. As I had business dealings with your uncle up until a year ago, I went to speak with him in order to ascertain the means of renewing our acquaintance."

Lizzie smiled, unaware of how endearing her smile was, after always being compared to her older sister. "Then I feel truly honored. I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far. It is unfortunate that we missed each other by only a few days, as I was just in London with the Gardiners for the past two months. Still, I am pleased that you are here. Now that you are here, how may I serve you?"

"I should like to spend some time with you. I have ascertained from your mother..." her tone was such as to afford Lizzie a reasonable idea of the lady's opinion of the woman mentioned, "...that you are to attend an assembly on the morrow. Have you already completed preparations for that event or do you need to visit certain shops to complete your task?"

For a moment, the memories of the morning's conflict returned, but Lizzie pushed them aside, "I am prepared, Lady Catherine, with the exception of those tasks that can only be completed directly before the event itself."

"Very well then. Though I detest inns, I have taken a room at your Meryton's little inn. Perhaps, with your father's permission, you can take me on a tour of the village and tell me what you have done with yourself since our previous meeting."

Once again, it sounded more like an order than a request, but Lizzie was more than happy to comply. It would keep her out of her mother's reach for a while longer...

oOo

Lady Catherine spent the rest of the day with Lizzie, only returning the young lady in time for the evening meal, which she declined to join, choosing instead to dine at the inn. Fanny Bennet spent the meal in question extolling the dress and style of the woman while also scolding Lizzie for selfishly keeping the woman to herself. "It is to be expected of you, Lizzie. You always were the most selfish creature!" Jane squeezed her sister's hand under the table. Mary ignored everyone. Kitty coughed. Lydia nodded in agreement with her mother and glared, though she did add, "La, I would not wish to spend time with the wrinkled old creature anyway."

Once again her father sat at the head of the table, not deigning to intervene until he finished his meal, wiped his face, and said. "That is as may be, my dear, but at the moment I wish to have a private word with my Lizzie. Come Dear."

Lizzie obediently followed, trying to ignore her mother's words as they pursued her out of the room. Once in her father's "book room," Thomas Bennet gestured to her usual seat, "Sit, Lizzie, and tell me how it is that you are acquainted with Lady Catherine de Bourgh."

She told her tale while her father drank his port. When she was finished, he grinned, "And now her daughter is dead. Well, it doesn't seem as if she is coming after you or your uncle for damages, so your dowry is safe for now, pittance that it is. So then, what of today. Of what did you speak while spending an entire afternoon with the great lady?"

Lizzie felt uncomfortable relating everything, not because she had said or done anything wrong, but because her father seemed inclined to make a joke of it all. Nevertheless, she did provide an overview.

"Hmmm, so it seems that the lady has taken an interest in you, though her true intent is yet unclear. She is to attend tomorrow's assembly?"

"Yes, Father."

"Well then, it should be both interesting and enlightening. You have attracted the attention of a grand lady, Lizzie. We shall see what comes of it in time, I suppose."

oOo

Jane and Lizzie said their good nights to Mary and Kitty before shutting their door. Kitty had shared a room with Lydia at one time, but Mama had moved Kitty into Mary's room after Lydia complained about how Kitty's "episodes" were too disturbing for her. Now Mary watched over her at night while Jane and Lizzie shared the responsibility during the day, or at least when Lizzie was allowed to reside at Longbourn.

Kitty's condition had been gradually regressing, despite the best medicines that Uncle Gardiner could procure. Jane, the dearest and kindest of sisters, had taken on most of Kitty's care for years, until she turned sixteen, came out, and her mother began demanding most of her attention. It was she who first learned how to calm her little sister down and restore her breathing. Now Mary and Lizzie shared the responsibility with her. Lydia had little interest in the girl who was closest in age to her, since she couldn't do the things Lydia liked to do.

Now, as the two eldest lay on the big bed together, Jane demanded details in her inimitably genteel way. When Lizzie finished her narrative, Jane nodded, "Now I see why you caught her attention. That was a nice thing that you did, Lizzy."

Lizzy sighed, "But maybe Mama's right. It was _you_ who learned how to calm Kitty down and _you _who was first taught how to use the eucalyptus. I learned it all from you... so shouldn't Lady Catherine's attention be focused on you?"

Jane actually shuddered, "Please no. I know that you say that she is actually kind, and you know that I always like to believe the best of people... but she frightens me."

This was delivered in such a plaintive manner that Lizzy giggled and was soon joined by her sister.

oOo

Lady Catherine, having gleaned more about the doings in the Bennet household than any realized, had that same evening sent an express summoning the family solicitor from London. That worthy made his appearance at an hour before noon on the following day. While Fanny Bennet was marshalling the troops for the battle that would be the evening assembly, Lady Catherine was holding her own council of war.

It was a wonder that neither Jane nor Lizzie were overtaken by their own case of their mother's oft-mentioned nerves by the time the evening hours approached. Jane maintained her serenity, at least externally. Lizzie was fighting the deep desire for matricide.

Fanny had been her usual contradictory self all day. She had scolded her second daughter for rising early, yet complained of not enough hours in the day to prepare. She had admonished the girl to be sure and move in such a way as to highlight her feminine figure, yet bemoaned the fact that Lizzie's figure would never be much to speak of. She had made the poor maid, Sarah, try numerous hairstyles while emphasizing that Lizzie's looks would never hold a candle to Jane's beauty, or even that of her little Lydia. She ordered her daughter to be confident and then spent the day tearing the girl down.

Mrs. Bennet's strongest theme of the day concerned Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She didn't know what interest the lady had in Lizzie, and didn't particularly care. Instead she scolded her daughter about selfishly hoarding the great woman's attention. "Why she would pay attention to you when my Jane is here, I cannot understand. With _her_ connections, my beautiful Jane would have access to the first circle of men. Did you _know _that _she_ is the daughter of an earl, and her brother is now the earl? I looked it up in Debretts. The earl had _three unmarried sons! _Why, she could introduce Jane to any one of them and they would fall in love with her! Imagine: Lady Jane, Countess of Matlock!"

"I don't think..."

"Of course you don't, girl. Your father may have foolishly let you bury your face in his books, but you have no understanding of the world. That is why you _must_ allow your sister to spend time with Lady Catherine rather than keeping her to yourself. _She _has the beauty to attract a rich suitor. And then, when she's a great lady, she can throw her sisters into the path of rich men! Oh, how I wish my Lydia was only older."

The one benefit Lizzie reaped from her mother's fixation on the topic of the Lady was that she didn't have time to scorn her daughter's rescued dresses. Mrs. Hill had hidden the dresses away for her until her guest had departed. Then Mr. Hill had quietly installed the clasp on Lizzie's wardrobe for the padlock that she had purchased. Lizzie had expected a battle, but her mother was too distracted to waste the effort on her troublesome second. For now the dresses were safe and Lizzie would attend her first assembly in a style that pleased herself, not her mother.

© 2019. Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purpose of publication without the author's permission is forbidden.


	3. A Most Surprising Offer

**An Interrupted Journey**

**Chapter Three – A Most Surprising Offer**

"Charlotte! How are you?" Elizabeth asked happily as she saw her dearest friend other than Jane. Charlotte Lucas was the daughter of Sir William Lucas, Meryton's former mayor and once a prominent local merchant before receiving his knighthood. Sir William had made a sizable contribution to the cause of the war with France, receiving a knighthood for his generosity. The entire family had gone to London for the ceremony and had remained for the season.

Charlotte smiled happily yet somewhat wearily at her lively, pretty friend. She couldn't help the slightest tinge of jealousy as several of the young local men followed her friend with their eyes. Charlotte's parents had promoted her for an entire season in London with absolutely no results. She was plain and she knew it. She didn't mind so much. She wasn't looking for a romantic match after all. But it still hurt to be always overlooked. Pushing those thoughts aside, she said, "How are you, Eliza?" Everyone else called her friend "Lizzy," but Charlotte called her "Eliza," after a character in a novel they had both enjoyed.

"I am well. I have missed you since London, though," she regarded her friend with twinkling eyes, "Tell me, have you anything to report?"

Shaking her head without much energy, she replied, "Only sore feet, crushed toes, and altogether too little sleep. Quite frankly, I am pleased that it is all over."

Before Elizabeth could reply, Charlotte's older brother, Duncan, collected her for their promised dance. Charlotte continued to stand there, feeling forlorn.

Halfway through the first dance, there was movement at the main entrance and people became somewhat subdued. Meryton's humble assembly was not used to seeing such august personages as Lady Catherine de Bourgh, daughter and now sister of an Earl, dressed in all her finery. Everyone knew of her presence in town though, since Mrs. Bennet had boasted of her triumph far and wide. The music and the dance resumed, so Elizabeth had to watch between steps as her father made introductions and her mother hovered with embarrassing possessiveness.

Lady Catherine took a prominent seat which afforded the best view over the assembly hall. Within moments she had located Miss Elizabeth, taking only a moment longer to find her elder sister. Miss Bennet, after all, was quite easy to locate as she was, undeniably, the most beautiful creature in the room. When the set was completed, Lady Catherine watched as Elizabeth walked over to a plain but well-dressed older girl and gracefully led the girl in her direction.

With a genuine smile of pleasure, Elizabeth asked, "Lady Catherine, may I introduce you to my dear friend?"

"Of course. I am always ready to meet young ladies and offer them my guidance."

Not put off by this amusingly haughty reply, Elizabeth continued, "Lady Catherine de Bourgh, this is my friend, Charlotte Lucas, daughter of Sir William Lucas. Charlotte, may I introduce Lady Catherine de Bourgh, of Rosings, Kent." From the corner of her eye the lady could see Elizabeth's mother scowl, clearly not pleased at her daughter's actions.

Charlotte curtsied and exchanged greetings. Lady Catherine all but demanded that the two young ladies take a seat. Charlotte complied, but another young man collected Elizabeth as soon as the music started up again. Momentarily forgetting her company, Charlotte sighed. Then she blushed and looked down at the floor in shame. Lady Catherine recognized a little of herself in this older, overlooked young woman, so she engaged her in a lively conversation... though Charlotte might have better described it as an interrogation. Nevertheless, after fifteen minutes, the lady found herself quite impressed. Miss Lucas had none of the liveliness and impertinence of Miss Elizabeth, but she was intelligent, well spoken, and lady-like.

Lady Catherine also saw Elizabeth's cajoling efforts at finding dance partners for her friend. Thus, the girl was soon out on the dance floor with the other young ladies, though perhaps she was not partnered as often or as enthusiastically. The lady herself was approached with much more courage than most locals might have otherwise. It seemed that the lively acceptance of Miss Elizabeth and the quite conversation with Miss Lucas had reassured the skittish populace. Normally Lady Catherine might have discouraged such freedom, but for the moment it suited her to make a good impression in Miss Elizabeth's neighborhood.

It was impossible not to hear Mrs. Bennet's shrill voice as she extolled her good fortune in being an intimate acquaintance of Lady Catherine. "... and because we know her I am sure that we will eventually meet her brother the Earl! Imagine! My girls are sure to be thrown in the path of rich men! Oh, such a good thing for my Jane!"

Glancing over to see what Mr. Bennet would do to stop such foolishness, Lady Catherine was irritated to note that he was sitting back with amusement. _Doesn't the man understand what his wife is doing to the prospects of his daughters? Or his family name?_

She also noted the embarrassed grimace on Elizabeth's red face, as well as the better-hidden humiliation in the eyes of the older Miss Bennet.

When the evening was over Miss Bennet had danced every set, Miss Elizabeth had danced all but three dances, two of which she had pointed towards Miss Lucas. Mrs. Bennet had talked herself hoarse. And Mr. Bennet looked quite pleased with himself at his wife's spectacle.

It seemed quite clear to Lady Catherine de Bourgh what she must do.

oOo

Mr. Thomas Bennet was quite offended as the officious lady continued. Lady Catherine, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Phillips, Thomas' brother-in-law and solicitor, and Mr. Tibbit, Lady Catherine's solicitor, were all seated together in Mr. Phillip's office.

"... no, Mr. Bennet, I am celebrated for my honesty and plain-speaking. The simple fact is that if this situation continues as it currently stands, then your two eldest daughter's will pay the price. Can you deny that they are both beautiful and intelligent, despite their connections and upbringing?"

Mr. Tibbits winced at this as he watched the faces of both Mr. Bennet and Mr. Phillips redden at this. Bravely, he chose that moment to intervene, "Mr. Bennet, Lady Catherine's intentions are both generous and kindly-meant. She believes that your two eldest daughter's would benefit greatly from her connections and her ability to properly prepare them to meet personages of the highest circle.

"In return for allowing your second-eldest to reside with her for a portion of each year, she will introduce Miss Bennet to a trustworthy woman who can prepare her for her curtsy to the Queen and chaperone her during the Season. In addition, Lady Catherine had offered to provide tutors for Miss Mary Bennet, medical assistance in-residence for Miss Catherine Bennet, and to aide you in hiring an appropriate governess for your youngest, Miss Lydia Bennet."

Mr. Bennet sneered, "Such grand largess _is_ quite generous, Lady Catherine, but what makes you think that I would be willing to sell my dear Lizzy to you?"

Lady Catherine bristled, but heeded the wise counsel of Mr. Tibbits for once and softened her reply, "Mr. Bennet, I am not asking you to _sell _your daughter. In fact, I value Miss Elizabeth quite as much as you do. After all, it was due to her intervention that my dear Anne lived longer and began to improve... before the fever struck..." The pain in the woman's eyes had its own impact in Mr. Bennet's heart. He was actually quite proud of what his Lizzy had done. Unaware of this, Lady Catherine continued, "My intent, Mr. Bennet, is to promote your 'dear Lizzy' as far as she may go.

"I think the girl quite impertinent..." she paused dramatically and Mr. Bennet couldn't help but grin, "... yet I believe that her very impertinence, combined with her intelligence and liveliness, _with proper training_, could allow her to go far." She paused again, this time to marshal her own thoughts, "And I could use some of that liveliness and impertinence in my own life."

Thomas Bennet sat back and steepled his fingers for a long moment before speaking again, "I will be honest and plain-spoken with you, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I find you to be very officious and overbearing. I will not allow my Lizzy to be brow-beaten or oppressed."

Lady Catherine, though offended by this minor country squire, nonetheless grinned, "Do you envision anyone being able to 'browbeat' or 'oppress' Miss Elizabeth, Sir? For that matter, do you compare _my_ behavior with that of your wife?"

The first question made Mr. Bennet grin. The second made him grimace. After a long pause, he said, "This is confidential and does not leave this room..." when everyone nodded, he continued, "My family believes that I have only my wife's five-thousand pounds to divide between each of my daughter's doweries. In fact, as it currently stands I have managed to set aside five-thousand for my two eldest, and am working on doing the same for the three youngest. Yet even with five, I do not see my daughters making magnificent matches.

"Lady Catherine, I fear that one or both of my eldest may attract the attention of men from the highest circles... yet lose those potential suitors when the realities of their dowries and connections are revealed. Will your sponsor in London be able to adjust expectations to protect my Jane's tender heart? And will you be able to do the same for my Lizzy?"

With Mr. Bennet's inevitable consent now clear, the four people leaned in and got down to specifics.

oOo

"We're saved! Oh, just imagine! My Jane, the jewel of the season!"

"But Mama! I don't NEED a governess!"

In his book room Mr. Bennet winced and poured himself a snifter of port while trying to ignore his wife's gleeful prognostications and his youngest's angry complaints. He took a sip and then looked over at his second daughter as she sat in her usual chair with her feet on the seat and her chin on her knees. "Lizzy, you don't have to do this. You know that I would never make you leave this house and go live with a termagant... Besides, with you and Jane gone there won't be one word of sense spoken from dawn to dusk."

Elizabeth, still slightly bewildered but contemplative, cringed at another of her mother's loud shrieks of joy and met her father's eyes, "No, Father, I think... I think that there is a lot of good in Lady Catherine. She had offered to take me in as her ward for a time, pay for lessons, and take me along to see places I've only dreamed of seeing. I don't wish to leave you or my sisters again, but doing this will bring much good to the family... and Jane, Mary, and I grow increasingly concerned for Kitty. If doing this will mean better care for her, then I want to do what I can."

Thomas Bennet sighed, "I should have done better for all of you."

Jane and Elizabeth had been made aware of the true worth of their dowries, which had done much to assuage Elizabeth's negative feelings toward her father. Still, his greatest failing was his refusal to rein his wife in, make her stop spending so freely, and help her to curb her vulgar behavior. None of that was important at the moment, however, and Elizabeth wanted to depart on a positive note, "You are and will always be my dear father. I will miss you."

oOo

Elizabeth strode purposefully, almost desperately up the trail leading to the top of Oakham Mount. Today she would climb into Lady Catherine's great carriage and ride away from Longbourn forever... _no, not forever. This isn't permanent. I will live with her and travel with her for much of the year, but I am allowed to return for special occasions. My sisters will also be allowed to visit me. It isn't permanent, Lizzy, so cease your worrying! Longbourn is still my home! It will be just like the other times._

The trees and undergrowth to either side of the trail thinned out and suddenly she was on the top of the mount, able to see for miles in every direction in the clear morning... but her eyes were fixed on Longbourn, the home of her childhood, far below. Oddly, sadly, it didn't feel as much like "home" as it should.

Her eyes drank in the view all around, consuming it as if to fix it in her mind forever. As if, somehow, by memorizing it, she could keep it from changing. Her eyes drifted to Netherfield, once the home of a dear friend and her family. Lavinia Barrington and her family were in the colony of Sydney now, far across the world. Her father had determined that he could do better there and had relocated the entire family. For a moment her thoughts ran to Seth Barrington, Lavinia's older brother who had stolen Elizabeth's first kiss just before they departed and promised to come back for her. It had been a heady experience for a thirteen year-old. Blushing, she turned her eyes south towards Meryton.

Elizabeth watched the bustling morning activity, saw carts on the streets and carts already traveling the road. Right now shop doors would be opening and wares would be placed prominently in front of their doors on the boardwalk. To the west she could just make out the inn and... she startled when she made out the moving shape of a black coach and four. It gleamed in the early morning sun as only Lady Catherine's conveyance could. _She's early! Mama will kill me if I am not home when the lady arrives!_

And with that thought, Elizabeth ran.

oOo

"Obstinate, headstrong girl! Always running off when important people are waiting! She doesn't deserve the Lady's notice. Hill! Hill! Find that girl and fetch my smelling salts! She had absolutely no respect for my nerves!"

Elizabeth caught Mr. Hill's eyes as she snuck up the back stairs and waved at him. Mr. Hill signaled his poor, beleaguered wife, and the ever-patient housekeeper shook her head. As Elizabeth quickly scampered up the stairs, she heard Mrs. Hill saying, "She is here, Mistress Bennet. I reckon that she just stepped out to say goodbye to the horses. Now you just have take a drink of this tea and settle yourself. The Lady will be here any minute now and you must show her that you're the calm and elegant lady of the house."

Elizabeth continued to her room, surprised to learn that Lady Catherine had not yet arrived. _Odd, I wonder where she might have stopped on the way? That could have only been her carriage I saw._

Sarah, the maid whom all of the sisters shared, already had her traveling dress pressed and laid out. She was highly experienced in dealing with Elizabeth's unruly, thick hair. In no time at all the "young miss" looked just like a squire's daughter should. Before stepping back, however, the kindly maid hesitantly said, "I.. I'll miss you, Miss. I hopes that the Lady treats you well... or you come straight back to us." She squeaked when Elizabeth wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Thank you, Sarah. Don't worry, she's actually a nice lady under all of that huff and bother. You take care too... and make sure that John finally comes to the point."

Fanny Bennet glared at her despised daughter as she descended the front stairs, but had no time for remonstrations because the large crested carriage pulled into the drive. She did have time to grab her daughter's arm in a fierce grip, however, as she angrily whispered, "You had better not carry on in your usual ways and embarrass us, Lizzy. None of your hoydenish foolishness, you hear! You don't deserve this honor, but your father insists. So don't you spoil it for the rest of your more deserving sisters. The Lady will most-likely tire of you quickly and then ask for one of your better-behaved sisters." She let Elizabeth go roughly just as Mrs. Hill stepped into the room to announce Lady Catherine.

Elizabeth fought back the tears in her eyes and struggled against the need to rub her sore arm. Instead she delivered her curtsy to Lady Catherine, who took in the scene with discerning eyes yet said nothing about it. Instead she stood erect and regal and said, "Come, girl, we must be on our way soon. Make your goodbyes to your family and we shall depart.

Lydia reached Elizabeth first, hugging her sister fiercely but then spoiling the moment by sniping, "It isn't fair, Lizzy. You get to run off on an adventure and I have to have a governess. Not that I would want to have to put up with that old bag anyway. I bet there aren't even any handsome officers where she lives." Elizabeth held her youngest sister by the arms, "I know that you don't like the idea of a governess, Lydie, but there is a reason. In a few years, with her guidance, you will be prepared to make your presentation. If you pay attention, you might meet and marry the man of your dreams. Work hard and learn, my dear. Someday you'll be glad for what you learn." Lydia huffed but hugged her sister anyway.

Mary was next, but only because Elizabeth turned to her. The middle sister had never been one to assert herself in situations like this, "Mary, when I see you again I expect to hear wonderful progress in your music... but pay attention to your other tutors too, right?" Mary smiled hesitantly and hugged her sister tight, but only for the briefest moment. "I will Lizzy... would... would you write to me?" Elizabeth pulled the stiff girl in for another hug, "Of course I will, dear heart."

Kitty had experienced another bad night and so she was rather weak, yet she pushed forward anyway, holding on to her beloved sister with all her tiny might. Elizabeth fought back tears at the feebleness of that grip and kissed the girl's golden hair, "You do everything that the doctors say, my beautiful Kitty. You have to get strong and healthy so that we can take those walks that you promised me." Kitty didn't reply in words, but she nodded and gripped just a little tighter. Elizabeth looked at Jane with momentary desperation and the two eldest sisters helped Kitty to a seat.

Then Elizabeth hugged her closest sister almost painfully. "I will miss you, Jane. I will miss our late night talks and your sweet smiles." Jane hugged back and whispered, "And I will miss your constant teasing. Don't change, Lizzy. No matter what." Elizabeth nodded against her taller sister's shoulder, "And _you_ don't pledge your hand to some handsome man until I've had time to meet him and sift him properly. You have always been too trusting." Jane gave her sister the slightest pinch, "And _you _have always been too quick to judge. Write to me. Now, go, before the Lady gets upset."

Stepping back, Elizabeth turned to see that her father was now in the room. She rushed to him and hugged him tight, burying her face in his chest to smell him. He had always smelled of pipe tobacco and books. She didn't wish to forget that smell. "There, there, dear heart," he said as he kissed the top of her head, "You aren't going away so very far, and if you don't like it, you can always run home... though I know you won't because your courage rises with every attempt to intimidate you. Here, take these..." He held out several books, including Plato and Virgil, two of his own prize collection, "... and keep that brilliant mind occupied."

Elizabeth stepped back and looked at her mother. The woman made no move to embrace her. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, she looked at Lady Catherine. There was a suspicious moisture in the corner of the woman's eyes, though she tried to mask it with a stern visage and a haughty, "Come, girl. We have lingered long enough. We should have been on the road an hour ago."

Everyone followed the pair out to wave goodbye and Elizabeth felt more than a little discombobulated, but she set her jaw and let the footman hand her up into the beautiful carriage... where she received a most-pleasant shock. "Charlotte! How...?"

The older girl grinned happily, "Lady Catherine met with Father yesterday and persuaded him to let me come along with you! I'm to have lessons too and even travel with you." The two girls squealed happily and hugged, while Lady Catherine looked on with mock disdain and a suspicious glint in her eyes.

"None of that, you two. We will travel in a dignified manner, as befits proper ladies..." Her words were cut off when Elizabeth launched herself across the carriage and hugged her, "Thank you, thank you, Lady Catherine!" The lady huffed and acted affronted, but Charlotte could tell that her heart wasn't in it. She once again smiled and nodded her own thanks to the great lady.

Fanny Bennet, having observed the scene through the carriage window, only huffed and stomped into the house. She had been counting on having months of bragging rights over Lady Lucas. Now that was all for nothing. Well, _her _eldest was going to London for the season, and unlike _some girls, _her Jane would surely catch a rich man, possibly even a Duke!

Thomas Bennet sighed and shook his head as the carriage disappeared around the bend of the road. _Take care, my dearest Lizzie. I shall miss you most of all._

* * *

_ 2019\. _Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purpose of publication without the author's permission is forbidden.

**_AN:_**_T__he reason behind Mrs. Bennet's hateful behavior will be revealed soon. Please be patient with me and enjoy the story._


	4. Where is that Impertinent Girl?

Interrupted Journey

**Chapter Four – Where is that impertinent girl!?**

They traveled at a comfortable pace for half of the morning, stopping at a high-class inn to change horses and enjoy tea before continuing on to London. In London they stopped for the day at Varaville House. Lady Catherine proudly informed the two girls that the house was so named in honor of the battle in Normandy where Robert Louis de Bourgh had been knighted for his valor in battle. The girls were in awe of the house and remained mostly silent while Lady Catherine talked on.

On the following morning, after a sumptuous breakfast, they climbed into the carriage once again and proceeded south towards Kent and Rosings. They stopped in Bromley to change horses, refresh, and eat, before completing their trip. Both young ladies looked on the grand house of Rosings with awe, wonder, and not a little trepidation.

The staff, upon seeing the carriage clearing the bend, assembled to greet their lady. It was an ostentatious display, especially with such a large staff. For the first time, as she watched its effect on her two guests, the sight bothered Lady Catherine. _Is such a display truly necessary? My brother doesn't require such from his staff. _Casting the thought aside for the moment, she led the young ladies inside.

oOo

Elizabeth was introduced to her personal lady's maid, Penelope, who then guided her to her new room. It was on the second floor, down a wide hallway lined with stern-looking portraits in overly-ornate gilded frames, each one seeming to stare down at her with arrogant disgust, all saying _"you don't belong here!"_

Her room was huge, dark, and suffocating, with a massive four-posted bed and a mattress that required a stool in order for her to climb in. The windows wore heavy, dark drapes. The woodwork was dark. The wardrobes were dark. The blankets were dark. Even the writing desk was stained dark. It all made Elizabeth feel small and very unwelcome. She rubbed her sore arm as, once again, her mother's cruel words came back to her, _"You had better not carry on in your usual ways and embarrass us, Lizzy. None of your hoydenish foolishness, you hear! You don't deserve this honor, but your father insists. Don't you dare spoil it for the rest of your more deserving sisters. The Lady will most-likely tire of you quickly and then ask for one of your better-behaved sisters."_ Even now, her words hurt. Why did Mama hate her so much?

Elizabeth knew the answer, of course. She was a twin... at least she had been, but she had survived birth and her twin, Henry, had not, at least for long. According to her father, Henry had lived for two days, but Mama had been unconscious for three. She had never held Henry when he was alive and she had never forgiven Elizabeth for living while her twin brother had died. In Mama's mind, Elizabeth would always be a usurper.

For the first two two years Fanny had refused to even hold Elizabeth. In fact, based upon what her father and the Hill's _didn't _say, there must have been some fear that Fanny would harm her second child... which is why Elizabeth was fostered for so long with the Barringtons at Netherfield. It was only after her mother became pregnant again that her father deemed it safe to bring her home. When Mary was born, then Kitty, and finally Lydia, Elizabeth spent as much time as possible at Netherfield.

Her sisters, Jane especially, came and played with her regularly. In many ways Jane, though only two years older, was more of a mother-figure to her than her true mother. The other girls also benefited from the quietude of Netherfield, except for Lydia, who was kept jealously close by her mother.

When the unthinkable happened and Mr. Barrington relocated his family to Australia, Elizabeth had been devastated. Returning to Longbourn permanently had been difficult enough for thirteen year-old Lizzy, but for Fanny it was like smelling blood in the water. She set about trying to reform her most difficult child, constantly criticizing, regularly assigning her unpleasant tasks, and occasionally sneaking in a pinch, a hard squeeze, or even a slap. Thomas Bennet's solution, when he became aware of it, was to begin sending his Lizzie to the Gardiners for extended periods.

When Elizabeth was at Longbourn, she spent most of her day safely tucked away in her father's library, reading, playing chess, or receiving instruction. Thomas Bennet's lifelong ambition had been to be an academician and teacher at Cambridge. He was newly married when the entail fell on him and he felt obligated to take the reins. He had attempted to pass on his learning for his little Jane, but the poor dear was not formed for such learning. It was only when Elizabeth began to read at the age of four that Thomas Bennet found a worthy pupil. Elizabeth, hungry for any parental affection, had absorbed her lessons like a sponge and became her father's only student from that moment on.

Mama's dislike for Elizabeth, tragically, only grew with any praise heaped upon her. In Mama's mind Elizabeth was, at best, a thief, and at worst, a murderer. No matter how Elizabeth tried to please, her mother would never be pleased. It was a tribute to her own unquenchable spirit that Elizabeth still became the person she was.

Elizabeth sighed and pushed the heavy drapes open. The view out of her window was of a highly ordered, almost regimented garden. It was beautiful in its own way, she supposed, but it was not the wild beauty of her favorite trails. She tried to open the window and found it impossible. It was that, perhaps, that was the final straw. With a rush she lept onto the bed, buried her face into her plush pillow, and wailed.

oOo

Lady Catherine was frustrated, but she couldn't quite understand the reason. For the past two days her two young wards had been good, cooperative guests; on time for every meal; quiet and compliant to her instructions; ready and willing to sit and listen to her exhaustive lessons on every subject under the sun... and all she felt was dull. The house was dull. Their meals were dull. Her guests... were dull.

It struck her then that the quite, complacent, compliant pair sitting in front of her were nothing like the energetic, intelligent pair that she had met. Worse, the girl who had easily withstood all of her barbs when they first met now seemed to jump at every loud word. _What happened to that impertinent girl I met?_

She tried angering the girl. She tried getting into a debate. She tried talking about issue that she knew that Elizabeth felt strongly about... but the girl was little better than a statue. _If I had wanted a quiet, compliant little thing, I could have had my niece Georgiana visit!_

Finally, out of desperation, she had a private talk with Miss Lucas.

"She hasn't told me as much, Your Ladyship, but I believe that her mother must have done something." For the next hour, Charlotte explained the story of her best friend and her relationship with her mother. She went on to talk about how Eliza's escapes were friends, books, and nature. "I mean no offense, my Lady, but this house... both of your houses, are very dark and intimidating. Eliza is a creature of the light. She comes alive outdoors... one young man described her as a wood nymph.

When the interview was over, Lady Catherine sat back in silence and truly looked at her home. The de Bourgh men, for generations, were hunters. In almost every public room of the house there were trophy heads. They also favored dark, masculine wood for their walls, ceilings, and trim... it was actually quite ominous. She remembered her dear sister Anne and her decorating projects for Pemberley... Catherine flinched at the name, but pushed past it to continue her train of thought. Anne love light as well... and pastel colors. Even in the winter months she was known to open windows to let in fresh air... Nothing like Rosings.

Resolved, and not a woman to delay after making a decision, Lady Catherine took immediate steps to set matters in motion.

That evening, after a quiet dinner, Lady Catherine delicately wiped her mouth and then cleared her throat. "Ladies, I have decided that we will be taking a trip. I know that you have just arrived here and probably would prefer to stay, but I am not a woman to be gainsaid when I make a decision..." She paused for dramatic effect until even the unresponsive Elizabeth looked up, "We are going to summer in Ramsgate."

For the first time in days, Elizabeth's face lit up. Unable to contain her joy, she leapt out of her seat and hugged the stern matron. Charlotte smiled as well and, meeting Lady Catherine's eyes, nodded in approval.

They departed early the following morning, but not before Lady Catherine had met with her housekeeper and gardener, as well as the best local carpenter. Her instructions delivered, the trio departed. A hand-picked staff including, of course, their lady's maids, had already departed to make the rented home ready. It was the home of a local Kent estate owner, so the arrangements had been quick and easy and... more importantly for Lady Catherine's comfort, she knew that the house would be well-maintained.

They spent the months of August and September living in Ramsgate, but traveling to many of the most spectacular beaches and sites of County Kent. Elizabeth never ran out of energy, exploring every trail, walking every beach end-to-end, and generally absorbing the beauties of nature. Charlotte, of a more sedentary nature, sometimes had to excuse herself to rest. On those occasions Elizabeth was usually accompanied by her equally energetic maid Penelope and one of the younger footmen. In some instances, amazing one and all, Lady Catherine was her companion. The girl just seemed to give the aging woman a little energy of her own.

Penelope, Elizabeth's lady's maid, was especially happy visiting Ramsgate. Her older brother, Jeremiah Connolly, was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy and master of a cutter, a small vessel used to guard the coast and catch smugglers. "Captain" Connolly anchored for much of the year at the Ramsgate Royal Harbor, so his young wife, Ellie, had a small house there. Penelope was allowed to visit her family often and Ellie was also invited on several local excursions. She proved to be the well-behaved, intelligent, and lively daughter of a country squire, much like Elizabeth and Charlotte.

Lady Catherine allowed the interaction after her usual interrogation, but drew the line by not allowing the girls to go to Mrs. Connolly's home or tour her husband's vessel. She had a poor opinion of sailors and was unbending on this point. After a heated argument between Elizabeth and the lady, it was Elizabeth who finally relented. She sensed that there was a story behind the lady's intransigence and so chose to retreat. Despite this one conflict, the two months were spent quite enjoyably and Elizabeth's spirits were restored.

Nevertheless, it was a subdued Elizabeth who rode back to Rosings on an October afternoon. She didn't care for the oppressive atmosphere of Rosings, but she now cherished Lady Catherine, so she was determined to endure and not allow herself to become morose again.

They were still a full mile from the great house when the carriage stopped and a footman opened the door. Elizabeth stepped out onto a magical high meadow, wreathed by trees on three sides and dropping off dramatically to present a spectacular view of the farms below on the fourth side. The fields below were lush and green and flocks of sheep moved white across the darker background. It was a scene as beautiful as any she could see from Oakham Mount and she immediately fell in love with it.

Glowing, she turned to see that there was a little rustic gazebo placed so as to provide an enchantic place to enjoy the view. Seated at the little table inside were Charlotte and Lady Catherine. Grinning broadly, Elizabeth joined them for a picnic meal. Lady Catherine waited until they had all finished and the servants had removed the remainders before speaking. "Elizabeth, Charlotte, I wish to make something clear: You are now a part of my home for as long as you choose to be so. It is my intention that you consider yourselves my wards, which means..." she looked directly at Elizabeth, "That your mother's foolish fears about you giving offense are ridiculous.

"I am not a woman who hesitates to speak my peace. In fact, I am celebrated for my forthrightness, so hear me now: You _both_ belong with me now. If you do something which displeases me, be quite sure that I will make my feelings on the matter clear... and then we will resolve them together. I will _not_ send you away... that is for weaker women... and men. If something needs correcting, I will correct it.

"Charlotte, I know you as an intelligent, loyal, well-spoken, well-behaved sort of girl. Elizabeth, you are the most impertinent girl I know... other than myself at your age. I like you both and I intend to keep you. There will be no more worrying about making a wrong move and being sent packing. Have I made myself clear?" Her words and tone were imperious, but there was a twinkle in her eyes.

Both young ladies shared a grin and then nodded, "Yes, your ladyship."

"Good. Now, I believe that there have been some... alterations at Rosings. I have had enough of this flitting-about for a while and require a rest. Let us to Rosings."

A ride of minutes completed their journey. The most immediate alteration to be seen was that many of the windows facing the road were open. Once inside, the ladies were delighted to discover that most of the dark surfaces were now painted in light colors, the trophy heads removed, and living plants were spaced throughout. When Elizabeth began expressing her pleasure, Lady Catherine waved her off, "Go and see your rooms, girls. I must have my rest.

The two young women piled up the stairs in a most unladylike manner, but Lady Catherine chose not to take notice. Elizabeth reached her room and discovered that the walls and ceilings were white and the trim and drapes lavender. Her bed, formerly a huge four-poster, was now a much smaller and very feminine canopy bed. The desk and wardrobes were also painted and all was pleasing to look at. Yet none of these features were what truly made her burst with joy. Her window, once dark and painted shut, was gone. In its place was a windowed-door which opened out onto a long balcony... which also connected with Charlotte's room.

With great dignity, Elizabeth walked over to her friend's balcony door and knocked. Charlotte, grinning, opened the door with equal dignity... and then the young ladies hugged and squealed like the little girls they had once been.

That night saw a much different pair of girls sitting at the dining table with Lady Catherine. She was no longer the dominating voice at the table. In fact, the two girls did most of the talking and were quite animated in their conversation. Lady Catherine de Bourgh looked on and did not mind at all.

**AN: **_My friend has authorized me to admit that she was the inspiration behind the relationship between Mrs. Bennet and her daughter Elizabeth in this story. She was a twin. Her brother died at the hospital. Her mother never forgave her and made her life miserable, to the point that she often lived with others, including my family. So although Mrs. Bennet may seem over the top, she is a type in this story. I will try to be kinder to her if I write a future story. The Mrs. B in canon is simply annoying and not malicious. If mine offends you, I apologize. I should warn you all now that this story will have its dark elements, though they won't dominate._

* * *

_© 2019. Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purpose of publication without the author's permission is forbidden._


	5. Lady Miriam

Interrupted Journey

**Chapter Five – Lady Miriam and Lady Isabella**

Lady Miriam Livingston, the dowager Baroness of Humberside, was in most ways the polar opposite of her dear friend, Lady Catherine. She was short and pleasantly round, with a cherubic face and a ready smile. She was talkative, though most of her conversation concerned trivial matters and she dearly loved to hear the views of others. She was actually older than her friend, but her liveliness and energy made her seem youthful. Jane and Kitty loved her right from the outset.

Having provided such an introduction, it might be easy for people to dismiss the lady as simple and easily led. This was not the case. Lady Miriam was actually a formidable force in the Ton. She knew everybody and knew everything about everybody. She was not prone to malicious gossip, but she eventually heard it all. Those who knew her well knew to stay on Lady Miriam's good side. Those who chose to offend her, or worse, those who offered harm to those under her protection, soon learned just how formidable such a woman could be.

That was of no concern to Jane and Kitty, however. There was not two females in the Bennet household more suited to please the great lady. Jane, who was often described as an angel for her stunning beauty, was truly as kind and caring as her demeanor implied. Kitty, who had lived most of her life under the care of Jane or Mary, and Elizabeth when that sister was in-residence, had molded her behavior to match those of her caregivers. Lydia, her other sister, had spent little time with her once she realized that her closest in age couldn't participate in most of the play that she enjoyed. In summary, Jane and Kitty were all that a lady like Lady Miriam could ask for.

Livingston House was not actually located in London proper, which was ideal for Kitty's needs. Dr. Ian MacDonald, the young doctor who had first advised Mr. Gardiner concerning eucalyptus and who had treated Anne de Bourgh, was quite clear when consulted about Miss Kitty: The London air was the worst possible thing for Kitty's asthma. Thankfully, Livingston House was situated in Greenwich, a pretty community just outside of Town.

Dr. Ian MacDonald was currently on a in Edenburgh visiting relatives, but would be returning to his practice within the month. Until then Jane took care to keep her sister calm, rested, and happy. Her time was not only occupied in that manner. She was also meeting with masters in dance, singing, and French. Kitty was not required to attend any of these except for French, but her father had paid for drawing and painting lessons, for which she had shown talent. Jane was also being made to practice for her presentation to the Queen, though it was still months away.

Kitty was quite happy at Livingston House under the care of her sister and the gentle guidance of Lady Miriam. Jane was not as happy. Jane loved dancing and she enjoyed meeting other ladies, but, if she were honest, men intimidated her. She had always been beautiful, though she didn't see it as much as others. As a result of her beauty she received more attention than she truly desired... and not all of it in the manner that was proper. Only Lizzy and her father knew it, but Jane had received her first _carte blanche* _offer at the age of fourteen and the man had been quite incensed when she demurred. There had been two more since. There had also been many times when her skin had crawled at the manner men looked at her. She wanted to be grateful for what was being done for her, but all that she truly wished for was to find one good, gentle, loving man and marry him.

Until then, she would cooperate to the best of her ability and wish that she had Lizzy there to make her feel safe.

oOo

Fitzwilliam Darcy hefted the final bale of barley-corn onto the dray. Young Allen Cooper scampered around the flat-bed wagon, tieing off his rope on nails embedded on the sides for the purpose and tossing the heavy coils over the load. Darcy watched him closely to ensure all was done well, but he made no move to interfere. When the boy gave his work one final tug and stepped back, Darcy gave him an approving nod. "You're old enough to be a great help to your father this year, Allen. He must be proud."

"Aye, that I am... ef I kin keep the scamp from runnin' off ta sea, 'e'll make a good farmer."

Darcy smiled at the man's tease of his son, but there was also much truth in the jest. All across the nation younger sons were abandoning family and tenant farms in favor of the military or better paying factory jobs. Thus far he had done well with his own tenants, at least in part because he had learned how to take care of them at his father's side.

"The sun is waning, Cooper," he said as he wiped his brow, "My sister will be arriving home soon and there are preparations to be made.."

"I heard that the little miss was back from London. Finch tells me that she plays so well now that he's claimin' the pretty music yer sister makes'll set his gardens to growin' better."

Shaking the man's hand, and then the boy's, he grinned, "She plays all day when she can. I am surprised that she hasn't found a way to sneak the instrument into her London room... now, if she would only be as attentive to her other lessons." He walked over to where his horse was staked, mounted, and rode away toward home.

The Cooper's farm had been exceptionally productive this year. In fact, all of the tenant farms and the home farms were faring well. Darcy's father had just begun implementing the four-course crop rotation system before the fever struck. Darcy, only recently returned from his studies at Cambridge, had found the task of stepping into his father's shoes quite daunting. It had taken the better part of two years before he finally felt safe enough to breathe normally.

Not only had this harvest been a success, but his other ventures had as well. He had increased the family's shares in the brewery which would soon receive much of Farmer Cooper's barley. He had built an modern grist mill in Lambton, thus shortening the distance for local farmers to mill their wheat. And he had invested the monies set aside for a year-long graduation tour into a promising shipping line. The shipping line, Gardiner Shipping, had already paid excellent dividends, all of which Darcy reinvested in the venture.

All-in-all, Darcy felt that he was doing well... except when he rode up to the vast structure of Pemberley and envisioned another evening spent in near silence. Georgiana would be here soon, but as much as he dearly loved his little sister, he wanted more. Yet in that train of thought lay peril and destruction. Darcy _had _looked, despite the chiding comments of Lord and Lady Matlock and their teasing progeny.

Two London seasons had passed since his father's death and Darcy had made his appearance during each... and been set upon by mothers and single daughters like slavering hounds, all seeking the kill. He had been praised and petted and offered all manner of inducements. He had dodged farcical faints, wicked rumors, and even attempts to slip into his bed. Young ladies had fluttered their eyelashes, swished their fans, agreed with his every word, and pulled down bodices to entice him with their "charms." All women were false. All women were scheming. And every one of them only saw him for his wealth and position... not one of them knew _him._

And so the Darcys would begin winter at Pemberley, celebrate Christmas at Matlock Heights, and then Geogiana would return to London and her study with the masters and this next season he would remain in Pemberly... alone.

Always alone.

oOo

Lady Miriam greeted her friend and visitor, Lady Isabella, with great pleasure. "Oh, my dear friend, it is so good of you to come and see me before departing for the north! But come, please let me introduce you to my new wards. This is Miss Jane Bennet, eldest daughter of a gentleman of a humble estate in Hertfordshire. And this is Miss Kitty Bennet, her younger sister. Girls, this is my dear friend Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam, Countess of Matlock.

The sisters made their curtsy, now much improved under the instruction of their hostess, and offered words of greeting. Kitty was then escorted by her governess back to the dayroom where she had a landscape painting waiting for her attention. Jane gracefully took her seat after the two matrons, then listened attentively to their conversation.

Lady Matlock was struck by the serene beauty of her friend's older ward. She had heard through the gossip chain that Miriam had taken on two charges, but knew little of the details except that they were daughters of a minor gentleman, that the youngest was sickly, the oldest beautiful, and that they both seemed well-behaved. But this young lady was more than just 'beautiful.' Isabella had seldom seen her equal. It was unfortunate that she had little in the way of connections or dowry to give her consequence. It was a dangerous combination.

She was shocked to hear that it was her own sister in law who had first initiated Miriam's new project. "Cathy wrote to me about the idea, you see. She has taken on the next-oldest, a lively, witty girl named Elizabeth, at Rosings. Dear Jane, though, is already out and of an age to enjoy a season. Cathy asked if I would prepare her and host her. Lovely little Kitty has asthma, much like your niece had, so Cathy asked me to host her while her doctor saw to her."

The idea that her officious, domineering sister-in-law had taken in an 'energetic' girl was difficult to fathom. Isabella took the next half hour to gently interrogate the lovely Miss Bennet about herself, her family, and especially her 'lively' younger sister. The picture she formed was of a young lady who promised to be just as formidable as, though much kinder than Lady Catherine. It was also quite clear from Jane's answers that she thought very highly of her 'Lizzy.'" _I cannot wait for our Easter visit. This Elizabeth sounds like the type to slay dragons. Our visit should be quite entertaining._

Miriam and Isabella, having known each other for a lifetime, had their own unspoken language. In this case, Miriam understood that Isabella wished to speak to her privately. She turned to Jane and, touching her hand lightly, said, "Dearest, I'm afraid that this visit is cutting into your practice time. Maestro Renaldi will be arriving this afternoon and is expecting you to be able to sing that aria verbatim." Jane, clearly supressing a grimace at her task, gracefully excused herself and departed.

Once the young lady safely out of hearing distance, Lady Matlock turned to her friend, "You cannot be serious, Miriam!? What can you be about throwing that poor girl into the Ton?"

Slightly offended, Miriam stiffly said, "Jane is all that is lovely, Isabella. She will be the belle of the season."

"I know _that,_" Isabella snapped, "But it isn't her reception that worries me. Miriam, don't you realize what will happen when a girl that beautiful, with nothing in the way of a dowry and little in the way of connections is introduced? Every rake in the kingdom will be panting after her! I wouldn't even let my eldest son near her... in fact, I hesitate to let my _husband_ meet her. He may very well decide that he has grown tired of his latest mistress."

Miriam grimaced and nodded sadly. It was an ugly reality in the Ton that couples married for status, wealth, and power, not for love. As a result, most marriages were consummated only to produce heirs, but the men specifically, and the women often, took on lovers to satisfy that which their marriages did not. There was an entire _other _class of women who moved about almost freely in the highest circles called the _Demimonde. _They were the beautiful mistresses and courtesans who dressed in the highest fashions and shamelessly graced the arms of their protectors at many events.

Owen Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Matlock, at least had the decency to keep his mistresses out of the public eye, for the most part. Many elite men proudly escorted theirs at every public gathering and competed to see who could boast the greatest beauties. Jane would certainly become a target for that group. "What should I do then, Isabella? I dearly care for the girl and she is truly an angel."

Lady Matlock nodded, "She is as pure and guileless as you describe... and wholly unsuited to take on that world. I suggest, first of all, that you keep her out of the public eye for now. It is bad enough that many of the teaching masters are gossips and that Maestro Renaldi is one of the worst. But keep her safely ensconced here in your home for now. If she goes anywhere, let it be with your largest, toughest, and most loyal footman. I will be returning with Owen when Parliament resumes and we can work together then.

"The girls are returning home for the first part of December, then on to Rosings for the second. Cathy will host all of the Bennet girls and also the younger sister of another young lady who is in-residence on through twelfth night, and then Jane and Kitty will return to me."

Isabella's mind boggled at the thought of dour Lady Catherine surrounded by silly girls. For a moment she cherished the image, then returned her attention to the future, "Let us plan a series of private gatherings where we may carefully choose potential suitors. Between us we know many young men who are respectable and respectful. We will introduce _them_ and hope for the best. I am even considering my difficult nephew. _He _certainly doesn't need a lady with a plush dowry." She sighed, "That is an unlikely match, however. His father drilled 'duty' into his head _ad nauseum. _He might be disenchanted with the ladies of the Ton, but he is too hidebound to look elsewhere."

She took another sip of her tea and then pursed her lips in thought, "Tell me, is the second sister as beautiful as Miss Bennet? If so, our Easter visit to Rosings may become a challenge."

Miriam laughed, "I haven't met her, though I _have_ heard a great deal concerning her. Jane and Kitty certainly give her the highest character, but they have said little about her other attractions. Kitty once said that she wished she was as pretty as her two oldest, which does suggest that she _is_ a beauty, but other comments from her place Jane as far superior."

"Then why did you laugh?"

"I am simply imagining what Cathy would do to her younger brother should he attempt to romance the girl... or for that matter, what a girl capable of impressing Lady Catherine might do to the poor fellow. Your husband may just be in for a shock. You are correct, Isabella: you _will_ have an interesting visit this Easter."

_*Carte blanche: "a blank paper" - in this context it means that a man is telling a woman to name her price for her favors,  
or more specifically, for becoming his full-time mistress. Sadly, while many women took the offer for the money, others  
did so as the only means to help their families, etc.  
_

* * *

_© 2019. Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purpose of publication without the author's permission is forbidden._


	6. The Festive Season, Part 1

Interrupted

_A smooth road is the most enjoyable... and the most forgettable. It is the potholes that stick in the mind._

**Chapter Six – The Festive Season**

"Oh! My dear Jane! How beautiful you look! What a fine dress! You must tell me of all your conquests! Surely men must be seeking out your hand even now!"

Elizabeth's smile faltered only a little when Fanny all but dragged her oldest and favorite daughter into the house, ignoring Elizabeth. She felt a deeper hurt when her father did not step out to greet her. Sighing, she turned to assist Kitty as Joseph, one of the Rosing's footmen, handed her down. Joseph was a kind, good-natured, though mostly silent man who had served Lady Catherine for many years. He schooled his features against reacting at what he had just witnessed, but didn't resist giving both ignored young ladies a smile. "Happy Christmas Miss Bennet, Miss Kitty. Festive season."

Both young ladies returned his smile and "Happy Christmas" before walking inside. Joseph and the other footman would attend to the luggage. They wanted to see their family."

Mary appeared in the door and smiled happily, "Mama insisted we finish our lessons, but Mister Tobias gave me a short break to greet you. I wanted to warn you, Lizzy, that Mama is out of sorts with you about the holiday at Rosings. Papa has refused her permission to go with us and Mama is certain that it is your doing. I'm sorry." Shocking both girls, the usually undemonstrative girl gave both sisters a hug before rushing back to her lesson.

The trip, though only four hours, had been tiring for Kitty, so Elizabeth led her up to her room, tucked her in, and smoothed her hair. "Sleep, little one. I have a feeling that this may be a tiring two sevendays."

Kitty snuggled in, "I missed my bed, but I like it at Livingston House. It is so peaceful and Lady Miriam is always so kind and cheerful."

"I know dear. You'll be back soon. I think that you'll like Rosings as well, though I wouldn't _exactly_ describe Lady Catherine as _cheerful_. Still, behind her stern, forbidding facade, she has a kind heart." Elizabeth kissed her sister's cheek and left the room. Mrs. Bennet barely looked up from her interrogation of Jane as Elizabeth descended and made her way to her father's office.

A soft knock prompted an order to "Enter."

Elizabeth was taken aback when she saw her father sitting with one splinted leg propped up on a chair. "Papa? What happened?"

"Now don't bother yourself, my dear. Apollo got a little spooked and took me for a ride. He didn't unseat me, but he did manage to crash my leg against Lucas's east fence."

"Why didn't you write and tell me?" His distraught daughter demanded.

"Because you already had plans to return home to me and because I knew that you would insist on coming early. Lady Catherine had already committed to send her fanciest carriage to deliver you, your sisters, and Miss Lucas home. Your mother would have been quite put out with you if you disrupted those plans. You know how she likes to boast to her neighbors."

His words and tone were an attempt at humor, but Elizabeth was not entirely convinced. She could she the lines in his face from the pain. She hugged him carefully and then stepped back, "How bad is it, Father? And please don't insult me by making it less than it is."

Thomas Bennet looked with love on his most intelligent and fearsome daughter and decided to tell the truth, "It was broken in three places, including close to the hip. Jones felt unequal to the task, so he sent a young doctor down from Town, Dr. Ian MacDonald, to attend to me. He is a fine doctor with the highest recommendations."

"The same doctor who is treating Kitty?"

"The same. He set the bones and bound me up tighter than a roast. I sleep in here at night, with the help of Mr. Hill, who clears the room and sets up a cot for me each night."

"Will... will it heal completely?" She wanted to ask if he would walk again, but couldn't form the question.

Bennet did it for her, "I will walk again... with the use of a cane. I will never ride again, I'm afraid." Other than his reading and port, riding Apollo had been one of Thomas Bennet's greatest joys.

Elizabeth frowned and said, "I could stay and..."

"You will not! Your uncle beat the bushes for me and found a suitable steward. Mr. Percy Griffin is the second son of a wealthy estate owner in Somerset County. He knows his way around a farm and has already settled in well. I suspect that the improvements he has planned will increase Longbourn's earnings enough to more than pay for his own wages. Besides..." he gave his favorite daughter a wicked grin, "Your mother has already earmarked the poor lad for Mary."

She rolled her eyes, "A steward? I thought that Mama was determined that nothing would do but a peer now that we're connected to Lady Catherine and Lady Miriam?"

"Well, the Griffin estate yields six-thousand a year and, who knows, his older brother is unmarried and might die." He waggled his eyebrows, making Elizabeth laugh. "You know father, I did notice that Mary looked prettier than usual. She was dressed in lighter colors and her hair was done up."

Bennet nodded, "Mary doesn't say much, but I believe that she would be in favor of the match. She's only fourteen, however, and the question won't arise for several more years. Until then, I am pleased to say that she applies herself to her lessons with great diligence and she avails herself of my library often. I believe that you will enjoy your visit with her this Christmas."

Elizabeth felt a momentary jealousy and pushed it away. Mary and Kitty were the overlooked daughters of the Bennet family, and if Mary was filling a place in her father's life that she left absent, then it was well. After all, _she_ was greatly benefiting from her time at Rosings.

Still... "Father, if you wish me to remain..."

"Absolutely not!" Elizabeth flinched at harsh tone, but her father's expression and voice softened, "Lizzy, you will be seventeen come spring and there is a great big world out there. Longbourn is entailed away and, with the conflict escalating on the continent, most of the eligible young men have gone off. You have been given a wonderful opportunity. Do not throw it away. I am not blind to how your mother behaves towards you. I realize that I should have stepped in more often, but short of Bedlam I cannot seem to control her.

"Now that I am chair bound, I would not be able to intervene at all. She is already pushing back at the restrictions I set on her for Lydia and Mary. If she continues to push, I will be forced to send Lydia off to school to minimize her mother's influence. No, you need to remain where you are well-established for now. Lady Catherine and I may not agree on all things, but she does have your best interests at heart."

Elizabeth wanted to protest, but she was mature enough and honest enough with herself to see the truth. Even her mother's reception of her spoke volumes, "Yes Father. I won't mention it again... but please don't keep things like this a secret any more or I shall worry for you all of the time."

"Agreed. And speaking of entails, I met my heir presumptive... and trust me, presumptive is definitely the best description..." So for the next hour they sat and talked about Mr. Collins, an ill-favored young man, currently a seminarian, who would someday become the master of Longbourn. He had swept in on holiday from college, greatly disappointed to find Mr. Bennet recovering and even more disappointed to discover both young ladies of marriageable age away from home.

"He sounds positively ghastly, Father."

"Oh, he is. A more obsequious, mealy-mouthed, and yet pompous man you never met."

"He sounds very self-contradictory," Elizabeth declared, "Tell me, are we quite safe from him?"

"Jane is safe. Your mother is quite determined to make her a Duchess or die trying. Mary, Kitty, and Lydia are safe for various and obvious reasons. But that is one of the reasons that I am determined that you will remain at Rosings and safely under Lady Catherine's protective wing."

Elizabeth felt a chill run down her spine, "Mother means to pair me with him?"

"It has definitely crossed her mind... and anything which crosses her mind comes out of her lips, as you know."

"Oh, Father...!"

Thomas patted her hand, "Do not worry, my dear. I took the time to point out that the first thing that you would do if you became Mistress of Longbourn would be to expel those who treated her poorly." He raised his hand to halt her protest, "I know that you wouldn't, Lizzy... but it won't hurt your mother to see the possibility. I cannot promise that she will always be so easily discouraged from her path, but for now there had been no more talk of the match. Just please don't attract a prince or a peer, or your mother will feel that you are trying to rise above Jane and she will take action."

Elizabeth laughed, but some of the joy of returning home was gone. Eventually, after a long visit with her father, she  
returned to the rest of the family and tried to enjoy Longbourn while ignoring her mother's frequent glares and pointed  
jibes.

Mr. Bennet, sitting alone in his book room, felt an almost tearing sense of loss when she left. He considered, for perhaps  
the tenth time, whether or not he should mention his suspicions to anyone. He could swear that he had seen that  
aforementioned cousin just seconds before his horse spooked... but he had no way to prove it and the man seemed to  
have left the area completely.

oOo

Fanny Bennet essentially ignored her second daughter all afternoon, though she did send the girl an occasional glare. Lydia and Mary, done with their lessons and released to their own pursuits, dragged their elder sisters out to their little park to talk and visit out from under that dark presence.

Lydia had surprisingly few negative comments about her governess. "Mrs. Beaumont traveled with her husband all over the world. She has been oh-so-many places, Jane, Lizzy, and she tells me all about them! She even makes learning history fun. She is always correcting me though, which is annoying, but she tells me that I am improving and will be a very fine lady someday."

"We know that you will, Lydia," Jane smiled happily, meeting Elizabeth's eyes. Both of them had despaired at the way that their fun-loving little sister was becoming spoiled by their mother. Now there was hope that she would grow up to be respectable. "And what of you, Mary? How go your lessons?"

Jane and Elizabeth had just managed to steal time away alone to compare notes. One of their topics had been how pretty and confident Mary had seemed. Mary colored, but she still managed to say, "I love my pianoforte lessons the best, of course. It is so much better to learn from a skilled teacher. Mrs. Fontenue attended a finishing school with a focus on music, so she knows so much that I didn't even know about. My French and Italian lessons progress, but I shall never have Jane's gift for languages. Lydia is better at French than me, though Mrs. Beaumont teaches both of us. Father has personally taken on the task of teaching us literature."

Lydia made a face and Mary actually laughed, where before she would only preach at her spoiled sister, "Lydia does not care for Father's ancient texts or anything but novels."

"But novels are so much more fun! Haunted castles and dashing heroes and secret lovers..."

"Lydia!" Jane scolded. "Do not talk of such things!"

Elizabeth put her arm over her younger sister's shoulder, "People who do things in secret usually do so because they don't want their actions revealed in the light of day. The end result is almost always one or both parties being hurt... or worse. When someone really loves you, Lydia, they will want the whole world to know it."

Lydia pouted, but grumbled, "That is what Mrs. Beaumont says as well... but it all sounds so romantic."

The girls returned to the house, where Kitty had woken and was practicing on the pianoforte. Mary, and shockingly Lydia, took seats on either side of her and they visited and discussed their own playing. Jane and Elizabeth tried to visit, but Fanny Bennet seemed inclined to monopolize Jane and make sharp comments about Elizabeth.

The Gardiners arrived the same evening, saving Elizabeth from the worst of her mother's disparagements. _They _were treated to a long list of all the ailed Fanny Bennet, everyone who had harmed her, and all that the world was doing to vex her... chief on that list being Elizabeth and her father, of course. Eventually Edward Gardiner escaped to visit with Thomas, leaving Madeline to endure until Fanny's nerves got the better of her and she took to her bed.

Lady Miriam had no great prejudices concerning tradesmen, so the Gardiners had made regular visits with Jane and Kitty. This was an opportunity for Madeline to speak with Elizabeth. "I am no great walker, Lizzy, but I would like to take a stroll with you if you are willing?"

"Of course, Aunt. Let me change into one of my walking dresses and don more serviceable shoes, bonnet, and gloves and we shall be off."

Ten minutes saw them walking the path that led towards Netherfield. It was more overgrown now that the Barringtons had been gone these three years or better. Elizabeth and Lavinia had kept the path smooth with their constant rambling back and forth. "So tell me, Lizzy, how are you enjoying your time at Rosings?"

Madeline Gardiner was among Elizabeth's most favorite people in the world. She had also been her closest confidant. Elizabeth's father talked with her about many things, but he made everything into a joke and often ignored her most serious concerns. Jane was her dearest sister, but her belief in the general goodness of everyone could be frustrating. Charlotte was Jane's opposite, but her overly-pragmatic view could be just as irritating. But Elizabeth's Aunt Gardiner was an intelligent, worldly-wise, and yet compassionate woman who listened, gave good advice, and yet was not afraid to bring Elizabeth up short if she disagreed.

"I like it there. I didn't think that I would, to be honest. Lady Catherine is highly opinionated and often convinced of her own rectitude. She seems judgmental and stern at first, but she can also be kind and caring. She had paid for lessons in dance, pianoforte, singing, languages, and drawing... though I have no talent for the latter... without demanding anything in return but our companionship. She often scolds me for my impertinence, but I believe that she actually likes it."

The pair walked on in silence for a little longer. Madeline felt that there was more to be said, so she waited. Then Elizabeth continued, "She likes me and respects me, Aunt... and I feel wanted there. It has been a long time..."

Madeline reached over and took her niece's hand, "I know, Dear. It breaks your father's heart to always keep you away, but there is no reasoning with your mother. He feels... we all feel that it is best for you to spend the majority of your time at Rosings. You are always welcome at our house, I want you to know, but Longbourn is not the best place for you."

For the rest of their walk, they spoke of funny incidents and trivial matters. Elizabeth knew that her father and aunt were entirely correct. There was no place at Longbourn for her now.

From her upstairs window overlooking the drive, Fanny Bennet watched her sister-in-law and _that girl_. As usual, _that girl_ was wooing all of those who should be sympathetic to _her _plight, ingratiating them and enticing them; always the usurper. She stole everything that mattered... including the life and blood-right of her precious son. _Oh, my poor Henry! _

But _that girl _would not always have her own way. No, Frances Jane Bennet had a plan... one that she had already set in motion to ensure that the usurper would be miserable for the rest of her life.

**_AN: _**_I should warn you now that there will be darker portions in later chapters, so before you become too attached to the  
story, I thought you should know. I will keep it to a minimum, but the story hinges on these events._

* * *

_© 2019. Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purpose of publication without the author's permission is forbidden._


	7. The Festive Season, Part 2

_AN: I apologize for the long delay. An unexpected death in the family has derailed us all for a while. I'll try to give updates  
regularly, but this isn't the only slow-down caused by this event. Please be patient with me.  
_

**Chapter Seven – The Festive Season, Part Two**

"Has she lost her mind!?" Owen Fitzwilliam barked drunkenly, his voice unreasonably loud. His children, niece and nephew winced, but his wife, Lady Isabella, only tapped him with her fan. "No, husband, your sister hadn't lost her mind. She is simply playing host to two young ladies in whom she has taken an interest."

The young people, all adult except for Miss Georgiana Darcy, pretended to return their attentions to their previous activities. Lord Timothy Fitzwilliam, Viscount Townbridge; Baron Lawrence Godwin and his recent Fitzwilliam bride, Marianne; the Reverend Anthony Fitzwilliam, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, and Miss Emilia Fitzwilliam resumed their card game. Fitzwilliam Darcy returned to his reading. And Miss Darcy continued playing the pianoforte. That didn't mean that they didn't also continue listening to the conversation of the earl and countess.

The soused lord blustered, "Cathy doesn't 'take an interest' in people, Isabella, she takes over. So what business does she have in taking in a couple of strays... and what are those mercenary chits hoping for?"

"Owen, why assume some mercenary motive? I happen to have met two of the sisters of the one young lady who are currently under Lady Miriam's roof. They are genteel, well-spoken, intelligent, and exceptionally well-behaved. As to looks, the eldest is quite above the common. With the correct guidance, she could be jewel of the Ton."

Georgiana, often a lonely girl, listened with rapt interest. The information that the girls in question were five sisters and a friend had filled her with longing. Her brother and guardian was ten years her senior and old for his years, so he was not often entertaining company. Additionally, since his fortune was vast, most of the girls who befriended Georgiana were only using her to draw near to him.

Fitzwilliam Darcy suppressed a snort of disdain. How many "jewels of the Ton" had he met in the past few years? Each one turned out much like the next: grasping and mercenary. This family of girls must be clever indeed to have lashed their fortunes onto his difficult aunt. _Best to stay far away from them._

The viscount, though he never looked up, also became particularly interested. He had been far too complacent and well-behaved of late. He hadn't had a bet in the books at his club for half a year. Perhaps it was time to pluck a fair maiden out from under the protective clutches of Lady Miriam. After all, it wouldn't do for his compatriots to get the idea that he was losing his touch.

oOo

It was a happy, giggling group of young ladies who rode south in the DeBourgh carriage on the day after Christmas. Lydia, as was her wont, dominated much of the conversation, yet her words and actions were much more circumspect than in the past. She would always be lively and headstrong, but at least she wasn't quite so spoiled. Her governess had been quite good for her in that respect.

Kitty participated as well. The peaceful and caring environment of Livingston House, along with the gentle care of her eldest sister and Lady Miriam, had done much to instill confidence. The asthma was always there, lurking like a monster under her bed, but now it was held at bay... especially with the help of Dr. MacDonald. She blushed thinking about the handsome young doctor, even though he only had eyes for Jane.

Even Mary, usually silent, participated in their traveling repartee. Her success in her lessons, along with the extra attention lavished on her by her father, had instilled the confidence that had previously always been lacking. In addition Mrs. Beaumont, Lydia's governess, had taken the time to pull Mary aside and work with her on improving her appearance. The older woman, understanding Mary better than her own family, had couched her intervention as "taking measures to always present yourself in the best possible light. After all, if God made you then you are precious, and we don't allow precious items to become tarnished or tattered. It suggests a shameful disregard for God's good work, don't you think."

Having been given a way to see vanity as a virtue, Mary finally relented and allowed herself to become "pretty" like her sisters. It was a surprise to all to discover that the most silent and overlooked member of the family was not plain at all, but actually rather attractive. The only detractor from Mary's alteration was that it had turned the hungry eyes of her marriage-minded mama on her. Now that Mary was fifteen, this was not such a simple problem. Jane and Elizabeth were resolved to see what they could do to help her over the remainder of this holiday.

For the immediate future, however, all concerns were set aside as the girls determined to enjoy their holiday together.

"I wish that Charlotte could be with us as well," Elizabeth regretted.

Jane squeezed her hand to cheer her, "Lady Lucas wanted her home while their distant relatives were visiting."

"I know," Elizabeth sighed. The Dowdings, distant relatives from Lady Lucas' side of the family, had a son traveling with them. He was neither tall nor handsome, but he seemed a fine young man. He had also just completed his seminary schooling and taken orders, though he had yet to find a placing. Prior to Lady Catherine's involvement in the Bennet family, Fanny might have pushed her own daughters at him, but her sights were set much higher now. "Charlotte _has_ gone on several long walks with him, and he seemed quite impressed with her accomplishments... so perhaps..."

The two friends had become ever-closer as they studied together at Rosings. They had learned much over the past half-year, with the result that both were much more accomplished than either had ever expected to become. Charlotte would never be an accomplished musician, yet she could now play without embarrassing herself. Elizabeth would certainly never be an artist, but at least now her drawings were recognizable... of course she joked that recognizable meant that the images could be distinguished between animal and vegetable. Both ladies had regularly spent entire days speaking only French or only Italian

They had bonded in another way as well: they had taken the time to get to know the tenants and had, of their own volition, taken it upon themselves to see to the needs of those tenants as the mistress of an estate should. It was a shockingly foreign concept to Lady Catherine. She had always kept herself intimately informed about her tenants' concerns, interfering officiously whenever she felt the need, but had done little to improve their lot. Her husband had seen to that until he became ill. When he died, George Darcy had visited twice a year to assist with the estate books, and he had once scolded her for not doing her duty, which resulted in many harsh words between them. When he and her dear Anne had both died of scarlet fever, her initial response had been to blame the residents of Pemberley. As a result, George's son, Fitzwilliam, had not taken over his father's self-appointed task to check on Rosings semi-annually. In fact, the Darcys had not visited Rosings once since their father's death, though she had visited them.

When Lady Catherine first realized that Elizabeth and Charlotte had taken on their task, she had been nonplussed. Should she be pleased by their initiative or incensed at their gall? Unsure of how she wanted to react, she had remained silent. A few weeks passed in such a manner until that impertinent girl, Elizabeth, pointed out specific needs of several tenants which were beyond the power of the girls to resolve. The two friends waited patiently but tensely for Lady Catherine's response. They were relieved, then, when she decided to assess the needs herself and make the necessary improvements.

From that point on, the duo became a trio. Although Lady Catherine seldom visited the tenants herself, she had regular dinner discussions with her two young ladies about their activities. Elizabeth, having seen the successful resolution of that issue, was then emboldened to address another. Charlotte had been more tentative, yet she went along with her brave young friend.

Lady Catherine was not well-pleased to be told that the servant's quarters in Rosings were unacceptable. In fact, it sparked the first truly heated argument between her and her impudent ward. In the end, however, Lady Catherine toured her own servant's rooms for the first time. Those quarters were now under renovation even as the young Bennet ladies traveled to Livingston House to complete their holiday.

They arrived around noontime to find both Lady Miriam and Lady Catherine waiting to greet them. The two ladies had enjoyed a quiet Christmas together, content to share quiet company until the Bennet ladies arrived. They were a contrast in characters: Lady Miriam was short and pleasantly round, perhaps even cherubic, with an ever-ready smile. Lady Catherine was tall, built on a larger scale, and had once been considered very handsome, though she tended to frown more than smile. Yet the pair were dear friends who cherished each other's company whenever possible.

"Come, come girls," Lady Miriam prompted, hurrying them into the house.

"You are late," Lady Catherine declared, "We expected you an hour ago." Her scowl alarmed four of the Bennet girls, but Elizabeth merely stepped close and kissed the dear, dour lady on her cheek and said, "Happy Christmas, milady." The others watched in disbelief as the scowl slipped for just a moment and the great lady barked, "None of your wile-some ways, impertinent child. Inside with all of you." Elizabeth skipped up the steps and Lady Catherine ignored Lady Miriam as she covered her mouth to hide her giggle.

The two ladies had a feast waiting for the Bennet girls, which they attended to with great relish after divesting themselves of their outer garments and changed out of their traveling clothes. Sometime in between their arrival and returning to the dining room, it began to snow and it continued to snow heavily throughout the remainder of that day and night. The girls didn't mind. Jane and Kitty led the others on a tour of the sprawling house, which was not as large as Rosings, but half-again the size of Netherfield, their most well-known point of reference. Then they drifted off to follow their own inclinations: Jane to practice the harp she had come to love, Elizabeth to read a beautifully bound edition of Homer left behind by Lady Miriam's deceased husband, Mary to practice the pianoforte, and the two youngest to giggle about some secret they shared between them.

Lydia had improved in many ways under her governess. One of her required activities was to write to her sisters. While Jane and Elizabeth had been kind and even entertaining in their responses, it was Kitty who Lydia had finally realized was the most like her. Kitty's illness and her mother's casual dismissal of the girl had influenced Lydia in an unfavorable way. Now she realized that she could have shared a close bond with the sister nearsest in age to her. Since that realization, the duo had communicated often and continued their new sisterly bond when together.

Dinner was delightfully informal, despite Lady Catherine's occasional sniffs of protest. The two matrons and the five young ladies talked and ate and got to know each other. Lady Catherine took the time to observe them all and was pleased to witness a positive change in each girl. She had felt some trepidation about spending time with Miss Catherine, not wishing to become attached and then lose the girl to illness, but the delicate girl seemed much heartier than in their initial meeting.

The card tables were pulled out and various games were played, but they all chose to make it an early night. The continuing heavy snowfall outside made for an odd, pleasant stillness that made one and all long for the warmth of a soft bed and thick blankets.

oOo

Elizabeth woke first, as always. Her first act after rising, of course, was to rush to the window. The sky was clear and brightening and the neighborhood of Greenwich was a magical scene of fluffy white now on the ground, on the rooftops, and in the trees. On the main road there were already tracks, but the yards and most of the side-roads were still pristine.

Though her first inclination was to dress for warmth and be the first out, she also wanted to preserve that pristine setting. It would be soon enough when her sisters rose to rush out into the snow. Sighing happily, she dressed in heavy clothes, donned her walking boots, and skip-walked down to the breakfast room where a variety of treats were arranged on the sideboard. Best of all, the serving maid had hot chocolate ready to pour.

Resolved to wait, she retrieved the copy of Homer, sat in a window seat to enjoy the view while reading. Lady Miriam smiled when she saw the girl seated in the morning room, but startled when she saw the volume in her hand. It was indeed one of her beloved husband's favorites... printed in Greek. She shook her head and continued on into the breakfast room. Serving herself sparingly, she took her seat and barely noticed when the maid poured her coffee. Cathy had told her about the intelligence of the second-eldest, but it was still startling. _If you had been born a male, dear child, oh how far you might have risen._

The morning was too promising for the others to stay long abed. Over the next hour everyone made an appearance, ate, and the girls quickly dressed for fun in the snow. By the time that they emerged from the house, other young people were also out. In the manner of young people throughout the ages, they met and joined together in activities without the need for the niceties of formal introductions. Elizabeth and Lydia, the most inventive and the most energetic, led the pack in snowball fights, snow forts, and snowman contests.

When the cold began to seep too deeply, the ladies adjourned to the warm house, hot chocolate, and the fireplace. Kitty had returned the soonest, but seemed content in the company of the two matrons until the others returned. A warm meal was followed by each person resting, only to return for afternoon and evening activities. This was the pattern followed each day for the most part, only interrupted by one particularly heavy snowfall which lasted for two days and kept everyone housebound.

When the sky cleared again, the road was then covered and packed enough for Lady Miriam's coachmen to harness up the sleigh. For the next several hours the laughing girls were conveyed throughout the neighborhood and out into the country. When they returned it was to greet other local families engaged in visiting. Already news of the beautiful young ladies at Livingston House had circulated and more than one young man joined his mother on the visits. They were certainly not disappointed.

The only other person to make an appearance during their little vacation was Dr. Ian MacDonald. He was a young man of twenty-seven, tall and loose-limbed, but with a rugged manliness that made all the young ladies in the house blush. His professional attentions were set on Kitty, whose current good health pleased him. His personal eye was on Jane... an attention which she did not mind in the least. Lady Catherine was aiming higher for the most beautiful Bennet daughter. Lady Miriam was undecided. When he left the Bennet girls had much to say, all of it aimed toward teasing their eldest sister.

When not enjoying the snow, visitors, and each other, the sisters joined in with Jane's presentation practice. Lady Miriam had procured an old court dress for Jane to practice in so that she could master the art of making her curtsy and then withdrawing in the ungainly garment without tripping. The two matrons were quite strict in their instructions, but they didn't begrudge the young ladies their fun. Each girl donned the heavy, over-embellished dress and attempted backing up, often resulting in sudden tumbles and much hilarity. Elizabeth dreaded her own coming out, but Jane, ever the epitome of grace, seemed to have already mastered the technique.

Twelfth Night arrived and it was decided, since none of the girls were "out" by London standards, to have a private celebration of their own. A bean and a pea were baked into a cake and served. Kitty became the bean king and Lady Miriam the pea queen. Costumes had been pulled out of the attic for when the girls pulled names out of a hat. Even Lady Catherine, never one to relinquish her dignity, pulled out a card. It was particularly ironic that she drew the harlequin, requiring her to mime any communication for the remainder of the evening. The positive effect of this was that the girls lost their fear of her and even Kitty was able to recognize her as a kind woman.

Twelfth Night signaled the end of the festive season and a need to return to normal endeavors. Mr. Bennet's carriage arrived at ten the next morning to retrieve two daughters, but he also carried messages for Lady Catherine and the eldest girls. Elizabeth didn't quite know what to feel when she received the news that Charlotte Lucas would not be returning to Rosings with her after all. She was engaged to Michael Dowding, her distant cousin and a newly-frocked minister. He did not yet have a parish, but he had prospects.

Thomas Bennet stayed for lunch, quite pleased at the peaceful and elegant manners of the two ladies and the much-improved deportment of his five daughters. Prior to the meal he had engaged in a private conference with Lady Catherine, the result being that he departed with Lydia alone, leaving Mary behind. She would now join Elizabeth at Rosings.

"I wonder how Mama will react," Jane mused. Although Mrs. Bennet was pleased at the notice that her daughters were receiving, she wouldn't appreciate being denied an opportunity to play match-maker for Mary. After all, it wasn't as if _Mary_ had any prospects in the Ton!

"I am just pleased to remove for a while," Mary answered with clear relief, "Did you know that she was trying to match me with Percival Slade, Uncle Phillips' clerk?"

The other girls cringed at the vision of Mr. Slade, a slovenly, unkempt, unattractive man with no chin, a bowed back, and hygiene issues. Elizabeth laid her hand comfortingly on her sister's, "Well then, you are safe for now with Lady Catherine and me. I know that you might not be pleased to leave your current masters, but I think that you'll like learning under mine."

"In addition," Lady Catherine startled the girls who hadn't realized that she had entered the sitting room, "you will have the opportunity to learn properly about the duties involved in being mistress of an estate. Your sister is going on passably well, and so shall you." Elizabeth bit the inside of her mouth, not choosing to point out that she and Charlotte had done most of that learning on their own.

"Now girls, Mary's trunks have been tied onto my equipage, hot bricks and blankets have been prepared, and it is now time to depart. Please say your goodbyes quickly so that we can leave on time. I am most attentive to such matters." When she swept away with a sniff, Mary looked worried but Elizabeth only giggled.

After making their tearful goodbyes to Jane and Kitty, the trio departed for Kent.

_© 2019. Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purpose of publication without the author's permission is forbidden._


	8. Meetings and Machinations

Interrupted

**Chapter Eight – Meetings and Machinations**

For Jane Bennet, January was a time of final fittings, new encounters, and much discomfort. Parliament convened on January the twenty-fifth, which also signaled the onset of the Season. The _Bon Ton _began arriving back in London the week prior, though many would not arrive until mid-February. The Lords and Commons immediately began meetings, both formal and informal, while the ladies began their seasons with calls and shopping.

Lady Miriam Livingston, Jane, and Kitty were at Lady Miriam's favorite modiste, waiting to check the fit for several of the dresses Jane would wear early in the season, when the door opened to admit several distinguished newcomers: Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam, Countess of Matlock, along with her daughters, Baroness Godwin and Lady Emilia, and her niece, Miss Georgiana Darcy. Lady Isabella was pleased to meet her friend and her charges again and happily made the introductions.

The new arrivals were quite taken with Jane's beauty and natural kindness. Georgiana was as well, but being shy felt quite intimidated. Kitty, however, caught her eye and somehow enticed the girl to sit with her while the older ladies, maiden and matron alike, enthusiastically talked about upcoming events. By the time that Jane's fittings were complete, friendships had been formed and invitations for tea had been firmly agreed upon.

Two days later, Kitty stood nervously, wringing her hands as she waited for the Fitzwilliams to arrive. Jane had tried unsuccessfully to calm her, fearing a relapse of asthma. Lady Miriam finally stepped in, hugging the worried girl gently and saying, "It is a good thing that you're doing for Georgiana."

"A good thing?" Kitty queried in confusion.

"Why, yes. You see, poor Georgiana is the sweetest, nicest girl, but she is painfully shy. She has had a terrible time making friends and I often worry about her. But I am confident that you will do all that you can to help her relax and feel welcome. Cook has prepared two teas, one for us old ladies and one for just you and Miss Darcy. I hope that you can overlook her reticence and make her feel at home. Can I count on you?"

Her own anxiety forgotten, Kitty smiled and nodded before rushing off to ensure that her rooms were tidy once again. Jane smiled appreciatively, "Thank you, Lady Miriam. She is very much in need of a friend her age."

"As is Miss Darcy, my dear. They will be good for each other."

The ladies and the young girl arrived as planned. As soon as decorum permitted, Kitty ran off with Georgiana to her little suite of rooms, where the two girls talked and giggled happily until the long visit concluded. Arrangements were made for returning the call, but the two matrons also arranged additional forays for the youngsters.

Three days later, Fitzwilliam Darcy received a letter from his sister detailing her encounters with her new friend. He frowned in worry, but conceded that he had left his sister's care in his aunt. Nevertheless, he intended to read all of his sister's letters carefully from now on _and_ he intended to write to his aunt. One must always be careful of the motives of the lesser classes.

oOo

Lord Timothy Fitzwilliam, Viscount Townbridge, having heard of the upcoming visitation of Lady Miriam Livingston and her purportedly enticing ward, arranged to be at Matlock House with his closest partner in mischief, Lord Fenton Brady, on the expected date. Both men were standing in the second-floor window of his personal sitting room looking out of the window when the carriage arrived. Both watched expectantly as the footman opened the door and a slender hand and foot peeked out, followed by a stunningly beautiful blond.

"Good God, man," Brady muttered, "what I wouldn't pay for a roll in the hay with that divine creature."

"I will bed her and send her home fecund by June, my friend," Townbridge replied, equally entranced and heated with lust. "That face will look quite smashing looking up from my pillow."

Lord Brady snorted, "Of course you will, my good man."

Townbridge raised an eyebrow in challenge, "I will write it in the book this very day, Old Boy. Come, let us make an appearance so that I can begin my campaign."

oOo

The Ladies Isabella and Miriam were in a private discussion about the Earl of Matlock's most recent bad behavior. The Earl and Countess' marriage had been arranged and never truly amicable. At the beginning she had been quite miserable, but eventually the Countess had learned ways to manage her dissolute husband. In particular, she had brought a large fortune into their marriage, shoring up his own circumstances, but her marriage settlement left her in-control of much of that fortune. This allowed her to keep him from gambling and whoring everything away, true, but theirs was a contentious and uneasy alliance at best.

Lady Miriam was one of the few who Isabella absolutely trusted and with whom she could spill her woes from time-to-time. Isabella's husband no longer had the capacity to hurt her heart, but he wounded her pride on a regular basis.

Georgiana had dragged Kitty off to her own rooms as soon as the ladies from Greenwich arrived. Those two were happily entertaining themselves by sharing stories of their families. Kitty, having grown up listening to her sister Lizzy's storytelling, had absorbed some of that talent. Her turns-of-phrase and colorful descriptions had the normally reserved Georgiana laughing outright. She had never felt happier than at this moment, having finally met a girl who didn't seem to care about her rank in the Ton or how one might meet her brother. The two thirteen year-olds were thus happily tucked away for the entirety of the visit.

Jane and the Ladies Arabella (Baroness Godwin) and Emilia were enjoying a much more serene and urbane conversation, yet they were just as pleased. The countess had kept her two daughters close to her side during their growing years, thus instilling her own morality and upright mindset on them. She had tried to do the same with her sons, but only Anthony and Richard cooperated. Timothy was too much like his father and, if rumors were true, even more lost to all sense of morality. None of that mattered to the young Fitzwilliam ladies at the moment as they talked with a kindred soul and a truly kind and gentle young woman.

They were struck with her beauty, just as they had been at their first two meetings. In many instances they might have felt jealous or at best intimidated, but Jane Bennet was just too good a creature to inspire such feelings from people of good nature. In fact, the two sisters were quite resolved to introduce their new friend to Anthony and Richard. Anthony, as a recently promoted area bishop, would benefit greatly from having such a gentle and kind help-meet. Richard, who was recovering from wounds in the battle that had earned him his colonelcy, would assuredly fall in love with her beauty and thus be inspired to refrain from any further military adventures. All of this the sisters had resolved prior to this tea. Their other resolution was to keep their eldest brother as far away from their friend as possible.

The best laid plans failed in this instance as the rake in question, along with another who was just as disreputable, stepped into the room. The Viscount and Lord Brady affected surprise at finding the ladies at tea, fooling none of his own family. Proprieties nonetheless demanded that introductions be made. Up-close, both men were near speechless for a moment upon meeting Jane, but Timothy quickly shook off the stupor in order to smile his most enticing smile and kiss the lady's hand. Lord Brady did the same, though without the same panache.

To the irritation of most of the women in the room, the two men seated themselves. Those who knew them feared that they might spoil the rest of the visit, but Lord Timothy Fitzwilliam was too skilled at the art of seduction to overstay. He would play this fish carefully. She would definitely be a prize worth landing... and who knew? Perhaps he might keep this particular prize for longer than a season. Once her prospects were ruined, she would need a protector, after all. Yes, thought the Viscount as he made his goodbyes and looked soulfully into the beauty's light blue eyes, she would make a fine mistress.

Poor Jane's heart was racing after the encounter. Never had she met a more handsome, dashing man. His dark intensity and sheer masculine magnetism made her body feel things that she had never felt before, and it frightened her. Thankfully his sisters had seen it all before. The Baroness took her hand to regain her attention, "Miss Bennet, please trust me when I say that my eldest brother is the last man who you ever want to welcome into your heart."

"Speak plainly, Arabella," Emilia inserted, "Jane... I hope that you will still allow me to call you that... Timothy is a rake and debaucher of the worst type. We love our brothers Anthony and Richard, but detest Timothy."

Jane felt overwhelmed at the vociferousness of their assertions. For a minute she worried that the ladies were behaving in such a way because they considered her unworthy, but Arabella took her hand and gently squeezed, "We don't say this to protect him from you, dear Jane. We say this to preserve you from him." She turned her head when she saw her mother re-enter the room. "Mother, did you know that Timothy was here?"

Jane saw the alarm in both of the matron's faces. The Countess said, "Oh dear! Miss Bennet, please tell me that he didn't behave too badly?" Her immediate reaction and genuine contrition overrode Jane's doubts even as the woman continued, "I love my son... I truly do... but I would never leave him alone with any lady of quality, Miss Bennet."

While the ladies worked to dissuade Jane from any association with the Viscount, the gentleman in question was riding to St. James Street to place his bet in the book at Whites. Before the Livingston party made it back to Greenwich, he was slaking the thirst that Jane had woken in him at his favorite brothel. He could have visited his mistress, but he had already resolved to toss the chit out. Though he chose and paid for the choicest of ladies at the den, he knew that nothing would satisfy until Miss Bennet was his.

There were many more teas as the Season began, some friendly and some not so. Many young ladies and their mothers felt instantly threatened upon meeting Jane and she began to experience the many and various ways with which those females could make life unpleasant. Lady Miriam was a seasoned expert at navigating the Ton, however, and after each visitation she counseled her ward. Though some of Jane's innocent belief in the innate goodness of all people faded, she still, thankfully, retained her sweet personality.

The most important visit, from the perspective of the Ton, was that of the Ladies Jersey and Cowper. They, as two of the formidable "Patroness's of Almack's," represented the greatest hurtle that any young lady must leap. If a young woman impressed them, then she would receive the keys to acceptance: a voucher to the Assembly Room. If she should fail to impress, then it might be better to just return to the hole from which she had crawled. Many young women moved about the outskirts of the elite without a voucher, but they were forever excluded from any gatherings that truly mattered.

Jane Bennet's heritage represented a significant obstacle. Her father was a minor gentleman of no significance but her mother was worse. She was from a family in trade. Worse still, her uncle was still highly involved in that trade. Three factors mitigated those blemishes, however. The first was Lady Miriam Livingston. Though not a patroness herself, she was a matron of great distinction. During her time as a debutante, she was well liked. As a baroness, she had moved with great skill and grace in the highest circles. And she was a friend, albeit distant, of both of these lady patronesses. She disapproved of some of the less moral behaviors of her two friends, but did not moralize against them.

The second factor was that Lady Jersey, the heir to a great banking house, was actually an intimate acquaintance of Edward and Madeline Gardiner. She was heavily invested in Mr. Gardiner's enterprises _and _had often served on different charity boards with Madeline Gardiner. She also greatly liked the couple, who were intelligent and genteel despite Mr. Gardiner's source of income. Lady Jersey had previously met one of the Bennet girls, a pretty and lively, dark-haired girl, during one charity event. She had not met Miss Bennet before, but she had come prepared to like the lady based upon her previous encounters.

The third factor was Jane herself. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she was also humble, unaffected, genuinely kind. Even Lady Cowper, who had come prepared to dismiss the girl outright, was drawn in by the young woman's sweet manner and genteel conversation. The visit lasted ten minutes longer than was usual, but nobody seemed to mind.

Two days later, the voucher arrived by courier.

Despite the warnings of both the Fitzwilliam ladies and Lady Miriam, it was not so simple for a house to exclude a visitor as distinguished as Viscount Townbridge. As Jane attended her first parties and danced in her first dances of the season, male visitors began to present themselves at Livingston House with great regularity, and the Viscount was the leader of the pack. The Viscount somehow managed to ferret out which events that Lady Miriam and Jane would attend and he made it a point to appear at each. He secured a set from Jane at each of these dances, despite Lady Miriam's obvious displeasure, and always managed to sneak in little touches which left Jane's heart racing and body tingling. She understood the danger, but could not quite steel herself against the man's formidable impact on her senses.

oOo

In Kent, at Rosings, Elizabeth was encountering a male who was having a decidedly less formidable impact.

The Vicar of Hunsford, a kindly old widower who had served in that with distinction for over thirty years, had passed on during the fall. Lady Catherine had sent notice to the bishop that she was seeking a replacement. Thus far there had been several promising candidates who arrived for interviews.

The oddity who presented himself on this particular day was the exception. William Collins was, physically, a combination of disparate parts. He had beady eyes and a long, hooked nose. He was tall, with long, skinny legs and a short, round torso. His shoulders and back were rounded, his neck skinny, and his chin almost nonexistent. At the age of only twenty-five, he was already balding on top, though he tried unsuccessfully to cover his pate by slicking his greasy hair over the offending area. His arms were long, his hands large and forever opening and closing, like the mandibles of some hungry beetle... in fact, he reminded Elizabeth of a large, ungainly beetle.

All of this might have been enough to put her off the man, but there were three other factors: He was in desperate need of a good, scented bath. He was ridiculously obsequious while somehow arrogant at the same time. And he couldn't seem to keep his leering, hungry eyes off of her.

Lady Catherine, being presently without a paid companion, often included Elizabeth even in her official business. She stated that it was good training for the girl, but in fact she was comforted by her presence and valued the girl's natural wisdom. After many official calls she would grill Elizabeth on her impressions, implying that her intention was to correct any of the girl's misconceptions, but actually because Elizabeth's different perspective provided valuable insight. Therefore it was only natural that Elizabeth would sit in on this interview.

She had also included Elizabeth because the applicant had made note in his letter that he was actually the heir apparent to Longbourn, which estate being entailed away from the female line, and that he was a distant cousin to Elizabeth.

"... your Ladyship is of course the greatest authority on such matters. I have heard that your perspicacity is second to none, both in London and here in Kent." Lady Catherine listened to the man in fascinated horror, it having occurred to her that she would have once appreciated such tripe... before a certain impertinent child wormed her way into her heart. The man had barely stopped speaking for the past ten minutes and had yet to say anything of any value. At one point he had made an elegant speech enunciating the great magnificence of her _fireplace and chimney!_

Elizabeth proved that impertinence now by interrupting the man, "Who have you heard that from, I wonder, Sir?" The sparkle in her eyes when she glanced over at Lady Catherine almost made the older woman laugh. Instead she maintained her forbidding countenance and looked at the man for his answer.

"I... I beg your pardon, Cousin Elizabeth?"

"I said that I was curious. From whom have you received such glowing reports? One likes to know who might be speaking about oneself, and Lady Catherine might wish to send a note of thanks to her admirers."

"Well... ahem... I must apologize. There were so many... and..." His pleasant expression faded to one much less pleasant, though only for a moment, but both ladies caught it. That baleful look showed a much different side of the man, one which did not bode well. "Perhaps, over time, I will remember their names and present them to you. Of course I am sure, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, that the numbers grow every day. As I will be so close nearby, and because you are already so well acquainted with the lady who will serve as my helpmeet, I am confident that we will see each other often."

Confused, Lady Catherine reviewed the man's letter in her mind again. She could remember no information on the man being either married or in anticipation of that state. "Mr. Collins, you mistake in your assertions. I am most attentive to what I have read and there is no reference to you having a bride. If such is true, then it would have been proper for you to escort the lady here as well so that I might make her acquaintance and judge her suitability."

Collins gave Elizabeth's trim, curvy body another glance before replying, "My Lady, forgive me for causing confusion. I refer to my beloved cousin and fiance, Miss Elizabeth."

"WHAT!?" Elizabeth roared, jumping up from her seat, just as Lady Catherine also protested, "You highly overstep yourself, Sir! I am not not your fiance! Until this meeting I was only vaguely aware of your existence."

"Apologize now, Mr. Collins! Then explain where you came by such a ludicrous assumption."

Cringing slightly, but also displaying a confidence that sent chills down Elizabeth's back, William Collins said, "But your Ladyship, I have been given permission by the lady's parents. The match is sanctioned!"

"This is not to be borne!" Lady Catherine roared. "I am not one to be trifled with, Mr. Collins! Miss Bennet is my _ward_! As such she is under my legal care and no such match could be entered into without my input. What legal proofs do you offer for such an assertion?"

Collins stood up straighter, his desire to put himself in the good graces of the matron overcome by his immediate desire to claim this tasty cousin of his. Allowing his desires to overcome his good judgment, he reached into his pocket and extracted a letter. "Here is my proof, My Lady. I have been given permission by Mrs. Bennet herself. See here her signature." He opened the letter and pointed to the signature at the bottom.

Elizabeth relaxed back into her seat and Lady Catherine read the offensive article. Collins spent the minute it took for the lady to read oggling his cousin possessively. His sneer of triumph failed, however, when Lady Catherine laughed, "You Sir, are a fool." With that she tossed the letter into the magnificent fireplace that Mr. Collins had been admiring so minutely earlier. Collins let out a high-pitched scream and leapt to save it, but it was too late.

Lady Catherine glared at the man, "Mr. Collins, perhaps you should return to Seminary and revisit your learning on marriage law, for you obviously have not spent enough time studying the issue. Miss Bennet has a _father_ who is very much alive and mentally capable. Only _he_... or myself with his legal authority, may approve or disapprove marriage for Miss Elizabeth Bennet while she is underage. Mrs. Frances Bennet has absolutely no legal standing in the matter and may not abscond with that right.

"I am most seriously displeased, Mr. Collins. This interview is over and you may be certain that I intend to have words with the bishop. I shall have words with the man for referring such an imbecile!"

Elizabeth smiled for the first time in minutes while the beetle-like man cringed, "Actually, Lady Catherine, I was going to wait to mention this, but now seems the most appropriate time: there was no letter of recommendation included in this packet. I do not believe that the bishop had any hand in this visit."

Mr. Collins glared at his cousin, his true nature shining through for both women to see. Lady Catherine's answer to this was to ring a little bell. It's clear, pleasant tinkling summoned Matthews, the butler, "Matthews, this... man... will be leaving. Please see that he is gone and off of my property in the next ten minutes. He will _not_ be welcomed back."

Matthews, though in his fifties, was a powerfully built man. Long ago he had been Colonel de Bourgh's batman, pledged to protect his master on the battlefield and the drawing room. Now he looked at the odd figure and silently gestured for the fuming man to precede him out of Lady Catherine's study. For the next few minutes Elizabeth gave vent to her irritation while Lady Catherine remained oddly silent. Finally she intervened, "Elizabeth, please write a note to your father detailing the events of this interview and your mother's treachery. I will enclose it with my own. I will see to it that that creature will never have any possibility of forcing your hand."

Elizabeth calmed, nodded, and sat to write her letter. After a few minutes, Lady Catherine calmly, but firmly declared, "And, Elizabeth, from this moment on, whenever you go on your long walks, you will _always_ take a footman along, even if Penelope or your sister is with you."

Elizabeth's first instinct was to protest, but then her gaze drifted to the door out of which her distant cousin had just stomped away. Instead she answered, "As you will, Lady Catherine. I agree wholeheartedly." With a shudder she turned her attention back to pen and paper.

_© 2019. Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purpose of publication without the author's permission is forbidden._


	9. Determined Measures and Acts of Kindness

**Chapter Nine – Determined Measures and Pleasant Acts of kindness**

Mr. Bennet habitually looked upon the foolishness and foibles of others with amusement, most especially the ridiculousness of his own wife, Fanny. Today, however, was different. As he read, again, the letters from his beloved daughter and the irate Lady Catherine, he was feeling decidedly murderous towards his wife's irrational behavior.

In point of fact, and perhaps fully for the first time, he finally saw her attitude toward his precious Lizzy for what it truly was: vicious maliciousness. Hands shaking with anger, he rang the bell that summoned whichever of the Hills was closest. This time it was Mr. Hill who stepped into his study.

Although he could now walk, Thomas Bennet would forevermore be limited in his movement. He had already sold his beloved stallion, having no more use for it, in favor of a curricle. Even then he was having to cede much of his duties to his new steward. That being the case, Hill stepped in expecting to help his master with some issue of mobility. Instead he found his master looking decidedly angry. "Yes, Sir?"

"Two things, Hill. First, please send a runner for Mr. Phillips about a legal matter. Second, please inform my _wife_ that I require her presence."

"Yes Sir."

A few minutes later Thomas heard Fanny's vociferous complaints at having her intended shopping trip to Meryton delayed. Finally she came in. "Mr. Bennet, I do not see why you feel the need to summon me like some servant. Surely you are mobile enough that you can move about on your own. I have given Lydia a short vacation and am taking her shopping for..."

"SIT DOWN!" Thomas barked, his furious glare and loud demand cutting through her speech. She sat, glaring at her husband but momentarily too startled to protest. "Did you send a letter to Mr. Collin's _giving him permission_ to marry my Lizzy?"

Looking both miffed and combative, Fanny answered, "Well, yes I did. It is about time that that useless girl provide _some_ useful service to this family. By marrying Mr. Collins she will secure..."

"Mrs. Bennet! Let me make myself clear! That man will _never_ marry any of my daughters and _you_ do not have the authority to _give permission_ for him to marry any of them.

"Mr. Bennet! Have you no compassion for my nerves! If _that girl_ doesn't marry Mr. Collins, then _when you die_ I and my girls shall be thrown out into the hedgerows! It serves her right having to marry that fool. She stole her brother's place and he intends to steal this estate. If you had been a _proper husband_, then you would have saved enough for me not to worry, but..."

"Silence." The words were spoken at a normal volume, but the power behind them cut through his wife's diatribe and forced her to pause. "You will sit and you will listen. First, this antagonism towards Elizabeth has gone on far too long... do not utter a sound..." he halted her intended interruption with a hard glare, "... If I had been a proper husband _and father_, I would have stopped it long ago. I am guilty in that. The truth is, short of having you committed to an asylum, I couldn't think of how to manage the affair... open your mouth at your own peril... _and_ you are right, I should have saved more money. I spent too much on books... but you, _wife_, have spent over your allowance month after month since our marriage began. Had you curbed your spending, you would now be guaranteed a safe income.

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious solution to that problem. First, as of this moment, I am closing all accounts except for those required to operate the estate... which you will not have access to... Do Not Speak... Second, I will set your own pin money where it should be based upon the income of this estate. Any other funds will be set aside in the four-percents to ensure that you are taken care of after my demise which you seem to anticipate with such longing." Fanny Bennet looked incensed, but held her tongue. After all, her husband was mostly immobile now. She saw little need to bend to his authority.

"Third, I feel that it is best if I revisit the disposition of my daughters." She perked up at this. She had greatly resented it when he sent Mary away just when she had managed a suitable match. Unfortunately, her husband did not elaborate. Instead he added, "And fourth, from this day on I will arrange it so that Lizzy is forever safe from your grasp. If and when I die, if she is still under the age of majority, then she will be entirely under the legal authority of Lady Catherine."

Fanny glared at her husband for a long moment before gritting her teeth and snarling, "Good! Let her stay away from here! She will certainly not be welcome again!" She jumped up, glaring at her husband before stomping out of his book room.

oOo

Elizabeth read her father's letter, the longest she had ever received from him, a second time. In one way she was glad to be safely out from under her mother's hateful grip. In another, she felt almost like an orphan cast out of her home. Still, she had spent so many years away, first at Netherfield and then at the Gardiners, that she seldom thought of Longbourn as "home."

Mary, never a demonstrative girl, leaned against her sister. "So then, Father is sending Lydia to school?"

"Yes, he feels that it would be best to separate her from Mama at this juncture. He fears that Mama's anger will lead her to be rash and that our impressionable little sister will be effected."

Mary grunted, "Mama should be committed."

"Mary!"

Her younger sister blushed, "Lizzy, you haven't been there lately. She gets worse and worse. Sometimes her hatred toward you is frightening to witness. I'm sorry to say it, but it is true."

Elizabeth nodded, unable to speak for a moment. When she finally did, it was to say, "Mary, father is so concerned that he had given full legal authority for you, me, and Lydia to Lady Catherine should he predecease Mama. I know that Lady Catherine intimidates you at times, but she truly is a good woman."

"I know. I do not have your ability to overlook her bluster, but I know that she is acting out of kindness for all of us. She is doing it all for you, but she will still support us all."

"I don't think..." Elizabeth began to protest, but she knew the truth. In many ways, she had become Lady Catherine's daughter. If it helped the family, she was content... and truthfully she love Lady Catherine like a mother in return.

oOo

"So you will be departing soon, Richard?" Darcy asked, his heart in his throat. His cousin had come back with dangerous wounds from his previous battles. Now he would be returning to the continent to risk his life again. Richard was the closest thing to a brother that Darcy had. He knew, perhaps better than Richard's own family, what the previous campaigns had done to the man. "Just promise to duck this time."

They sat in the library, in the most comfortable chairs near the fireplace and the windows so that they could look out over the snowy fields. Between them on the little table was a decanter of Darcy's finest scotch. In their hands were tumblers with the remnants of their second serving of the same.

"I will be spending two months training a new troop of cavalry in field maneuvers and then we will board ships for Spain. As far as ducking, since that last bullet struck me in the thigh, I doubt that ducking was the issue. But be assured, I will be careful. You would all be a sorry lot if I wasn't here to keep an eye on you.

"Speaking of which, what's this I hear about that reprobate?" Richard, Darcy, and George Wickham had grown up running and riding the trails of Pemberley and Matlock together. George, the son of the Darcy's steward, had been fun as a boy. Sadly, he had changed drastically after puberty until he was now the worst sort of man. He had turned his allegiance to Richard's older brother, Timothy and the duo had caused no end of trouble, including leaving a long string of broken and dishonored young women in their wake. In fact, Richard never used his name anymore. To him George Wickham would always be "that reprobate."

"He came back into the area when Michael Hannily, the Rector of Kympton, passed on. He tells me now that the law doesn't suit him and he wants the living after all."

Richard chuffed and took another sip, "Let me guess. He has spent every farthing of four thousand pounds in three years and is now in debt again."

"Precisely. When I refused, he threatened me with all manner of dire consequences."

"I don't see what he can do, but still, watch yourself Darcy. That reprobate is a vile snake with plenty of poison and no scruples whatsoever." He swallowed the last sip and poured himself another half-glass. "And Bingley? He must be disappointed that you chose to sit out the season... though not as disappointed as his sister."

"Hurst finally proposed to the older one, so they are focusing on the wedding preparations. That was actually one of the reasons that I am here instead of there. When Miss Caroline mentioned that one wedding often begets another, I knew that it was time to make myself scarce. If necessary, I will spend some time overseeing Cliffside, the little estate in Scotland that my mother brought as a portion of her dowry... in fact, Richard, if you were of a mind to..."

"Stop," Richard said firmly, "That would make you the third person to offer me a 'small, insignificant estate' in the hopes of making me resign my commission. I intend to see this war through, Darcy."

Seeing that Colonel Fitzwilliam was determined to be intransigent, Darcy relented and remained silent. He chose not to inform his cousin that Cliffside was already made over to him and that all monies accrued during his absence on the continent would be invested in his name. Richard was a third son and every farthing of the Fitzwilliam estate would go to Timothy when their father died. Andrew and Richard would have been entirely on their own if it weren't for their mother's inheritance.

Isabella DeGrassi was a daughter of a Castilian noble grandsire who had found himself on the wrong side of the Spanish Royalty many years before. He had the insight at the time to transfer himself, his family, and most of his worldly wealth to properties in southern England before the trouble became too great. When the marriage of Isabella and the then _Viscount_ Fitzwilliam was arranged, her father ensured that she, not her husband, controlled the majority of the wealth that she brought to her marriage. With her wealth and her intervention, the Matlock estate and the other entailed estates were restored to prosperity. And when she died, _each _of her younger children would enjoy a share of her wealth, not just her scapegrace eldest son... but that would hopefully be many years hence.

"I do need to pass on one request, Darcy," Richard said as he leaned back and propped his boots on the table, fully cognizant of how much that annoyed his fastidious cousin. "Both of my sisters have become good friends with a young lady named Jane Bennet..."

"The ward of Lady Miriam of which we've heard so much? Yes, Georgiana has written extensively about the younger girl... Kitty... and has also extolled the beauty of the elder. What of it?"

"Two words: my brother."

"Oh Lord, has Timothy fixed on her?"

"Precisely. The issue is that the young lady is just as beautiful as rumor insisted, and my brother has placed a bet in Whites. Arabella and Emilia have done all that they can, and so far Miss Bennet had essentially ignored Tim... but you know him. If his charm fails to achieve his ends, he is not averse to more aggressive measures. While I was in Town, I did what I could to interfere by also visiting... no hardship that. Miss Bennet is quite stunning. But now that I'm for Portsmouth and then Spain, Timothy is free to do as he wills."

"No, Richard."

"No? No what? I haven't passed on the request."

"No, I will not go to London so that I can intervene. Miss Bennet may be all that my sister, my cousins, and you say, but she is not _my problem. _May I suppose that, having failed to attach the girl to you, your sisters now have their sights set on me for a match?"

"Actually, no. They don't feel that you would suit... too stuffy and set in your ways. What was it Emilia called you... oh yes, 'that old man'. Sorry, but she's not for you. However, they do request assistance. Tim has never listened to Mother and Father is just like him, so no help there."

"What about Andrew?"

"His bishopric keeps him quite busy, Darce. Besides, you are the only one who has bested Tim in a fight, other than me that one time... he may not _respect_ you, but he does _fear_ you. Do it for your sister and your cousins?"

"I hardly see why I should put out effort for a maiden of an insignificant country squire. She should be able to take care of herself. If her mother and father didn't raise her right..."

"Darcy! You speak as though it is her fault that my brother has targeted her. What does her social status have to do with it? You have personally arranged for fostering for two by-blows left behind by that reprobate, so don't pretend you don't care."

"I care for the children. If the lower classes can't behave themselves..."

Richard set his glass down, stood, and looked at his cousin with sadness, "I don't know you right now, Darcy. You imply that morality is dependent upon social class. Open your eyes. Look at my father, my brother, and half of the Ton. I've served and fought beside better men who were the children of carters and tenant farmers, Darcy! What if someone focused their schemes on Georgiana? Would you care then?"

"Georgiana would never fall for such schemes." Darcy declared, stubborn despite acknowledging the truth in his cousin's words.

"Georgiana is growing in beauty and had a rich dowry. There is every possibility that unscrupulous men may target her. Miss Bennet is her friend... Enough! I'm for bed. You've allowed your experience with the women in the Season to turn you into a misogynist. There _are _good women out there, all over in fact. And a good man does what he can to protect them. Good night."

Darcy sat back in his chair and stared at his glass. The truth in Richard's words haunted him as night closed in. _Have I become that bitter?_

oOo

In the greater scope of things, the departure of Penelope, Elizabeth's lady's maid, was not significant, except to Elizabeth. Penelope had become as much friend as servant, so it was with sadness that she sent the girl on her way. Ellie, her brother's wife would soon deliver her first child. With the newly promoted Commander Connolly often away in the Channel, Penelope had been asked to move in to be a help. She departed with a small purse from Lady Catherine and a writing desk from Elizabeth.

oOo

"Charlotte! I'm so happy to see you!" Elizabeth hugged her dear friend. They were standing together on the drive of Rosings after Michael Dowding had handed her down. Sir William Lucas soon joined his daughter and her betrothed, his eyes wide with wonder at the size and magnificence of Rosings.

"Elizabeth, is it your intention to keep our guests standing out in the cold? I had hoped that you had spent sufficient time in my presence to absorb at least some modicum of decorum." Mr. Dowding and Sir William both looked alarmed, but Charlotte only laughed lightly, stepped up, and took the matron's hands. "I am so pleased to see you again, Lady Catherine. May I introduce my betrothed, Mr. Michael Dowding?" Michael Dowding bowed politely, but with no hint of obsequiousness. When he smiled, Elizabeth could finally see the handsomeness that Charlotte had mentioned in her letters.

"Mr. Dowding, it is a pleasure to meet you. Sir William, a pleasure to have you visit. Now, since these two hoydens have _still _not led you inside as is proper, I shall do so myself. Come, Gentlemen. We will leave these miscreants to their own devices."

Sir William immediately stepped up and offered his arm to the lady. Mr. Dowding offered both of his arms and the two dear friends each took a side. Once inside, Elizabeth remembered her appointed role as hostess. Lady Catherine had decided that, as part of her training, Elizabeth should take on that role for the entirety of this visit. She already did much of it on a daily basis anyway, so it was no stretch. "We have had rooms prepared for each of you. Mrs. Matthews will guide you and the footmen are already seeing to your trunks. Would half an hour be sufficient to refresh before we offer you tea?"

All agreed and went their separate ways and return for tea.

After an afternoon and evening spent in amicable company, Lady Catherine summoned Michael Dowding to her study on the following morning. Elizabeth had stolen Charlotte away for a long walk and talk while Sir William chose to stroll to Hunsford to peruse the shops. As a former mayor and merchant, he was always interested in such things.

Lady Catherine had conducted her usual interrogation on the previous evening and she was pleased with what she had learned of Dowding. "You cannot be in doubt as to the reason I have asked to speak with you this morning, Mr. Dowding."

"Certainly, Lady Catherine. Knowing how you have taken such a kind and beneficent interest in my beloved Charlotte, I can only assume that you have concerns regarding our match. I sincerely hope that I can resolve any concerns. I know that I am not worthy of Miss Lucas, but I intend to spend my life seeing to her comfort and happiness."

Lady Catherine was actually set back for a moment. She could see the sincerity of the man's words and felt inordinately pleased, but was never one to give away her advantage. Looking sternly at the man, she said, "See that you do. The child has chosen you. Her father has approved. That is an end to the matter as far as they are concerned. But fail to live up to your promise, and _I _will be most seriously displeased."

The man bowed in his seat, again without any sign of grovelling. "If I fail, then I will deserve any punishment you choose."

"That, however, was not the matter of which I wished to discuss. I have already learned of your family and your schooling. I have also corresponded with your bishops, both at home and at seminary. Although you currently hold no position, even as curate, you _have _spent much of your early life assisting your father in his parish. I also learn that you served as the Master's personal assistant during your schooling at Trinity College. In addition, you have shown the good sense to attach yourself to a most sensible and intelligent young woman.

"Miss Lucas already knows my tenants and had made a passing acquaintance with my neighbors, so that you have an advantage at the start..."

"Lady Catherine, I apologize for interrupting, but I am afraid that I don't take your meaning. Of what are we now speaking?"

She looked back at him to assure herself that there was no deception in his words or manner. Thus assured, she replied, "What I speak of, Mr. Dowding, is the living at Hunsford. Traditionally I would choose from among a list of vicars or experienced curates, but as I have stated, you have the advantage of a helpmeet who is already well-known and respected by the locals. My observance of you thus far leads me to believe that you would not be so foolish as to ignore Miss Lucas should she choose to offer her insight on any matter."

Michael Dowding was sitting up straighter in his seat now, overwhelmed at what he was hearing. Normally, without strong family connections, he could expect to serve as an assistant or curate for at least five more years before having any hope of obtaining such a living. "Lady Catherine... you do me... and Charlotte... great honor, but are you certain? As you yourself stated, I am only recently graduated."

"Young man, _can_ you do the work?"

Michael thought about all of his years helping his father and then acting as the Master's righ-hand man. Straightening his shoulders, he looked straight into Lady Catherine's eyes. "Yes, with my Charlotte's help, I can."

"Very well then. I shall have my solicitor make out the living in your name. I have one request, however: As you and Miss Lucas will be seeing to the spiritual matters of this community, I wish to have your wedding take place here. I feel that it would be beneficial for the people of Hunsford to have a part in your nuptuals. Speak with Miss Lucas and her father on the matter and get back to me before the end of the day. Mr. Matthews has the key to the parish house, should you and your betrothed wish to view it. You may go."

Michael Dowding leapt up, bowed to the lady, and quickly departed to find Charlotte. In previous years Lady Catherine would have demanded at least a little more bowing and scraping, but after almost a year spent with that impertinent girl, she no longer desired such foolishness. Her only regret was that she wouldn't be there when the young man broke the news to Charlotte.

oOo

Reverend Michael Dowding took up his post near the end of February. The wedding took place at the parish church in March. Though neither Michael nor Charlotte could be described as beautiful, they did look especially attractive on that morning. Hunsford had already taken Charlotte to their heart. The were also quite pleased with Reverend Dowding, having feared that Lady Charlotte would choose a man who looked more to her than the God for guidance.

The Lucas family were all in attendance, along with the Bennet ladies, except for Lydia, who was now in a well-reputed lady's school. Mr. Bennet had to excuse himself due to the impossibility of travel with his leg. Mrs. Bennet simply refused to acknowledge that any marriage was taking place. After all, her girls should have married long before that plain Miss Lucas. Besides, at the moment she was at war with her husband concerning the removal of her dear Lydia to school. How dare that man send her last daughter away like this?

Several miles away from the Hunsford church, at local solicitor's office, a man sat copying yet another in the endless stream of legal documents his employer created for clients. His employer, was among those who was attending the wedding breakfast so that he could add his own congratulations to those of others. The annoying man had the effrontery to praise the new vicar and his bride to _him!_

_The position should have been Mine! And it should have been me taking a bride to bed tonight! Cousin Elizabeth is rightfully Mine! If it weren't for That Woman..._ Collins grunted as he realized that he had just crushed the pen in his anger and destroyed the copy of the document that he had been charged to create. _Damn and blast!_

The angry young man looked around to ensure that none of the other clerks has seen his error. Then he concealed the damaged document so that it wouldn't be docked from his meager wages. As he extracted a new sheet of foolscap, his thoughts returned to the enticing figure of his fair cousin. Yes, he would enjoy teaching her how to properly submit to her husband and master.

ooooOOOoooo

_**Author's Notes: **I apologize for how long it has taken me to return to this story. I had a long bout of writer's block, partially due to my indecisiveness about how to approach several future chapters. Now that I am writing again it is time to finish this story. Not certain about the total number of chapters, but there will be at least twenty._

_© 2019. Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purpose of publication without the author's permission is forbidden._


	10. Assault and Consequences

_**Note:** I apologize for whatever happened with chapter nine yesterday. I followed all of the same steps and even proofread it, so I know that it looked right in Doc Manager. No explanation for what happened. Had to delete, wait two hours, and try again before it would work._

**Chapter Ten – Assault and Consequences**

Lord Timothy Fitzwilliam, Viscount Townbridge, was becoming irritated. Actually, he was fighting that rage again; the one which seemed to spring up out of nowhere and almost overpower him. His seething mind drifted back to the young maid who had denied him his due. Had it not been for his father's powerful influence, he would have been locked away. He hadn't intended harm, only to take that which, by right of birth, power, and position should be his for the taking. She hadn't agreed and the rage had come on so quickly. But he had control of it now... he knew that he did.

This particular onset of anger was all due to his brother, his irritatingly pompous cousin, and that scheming chit. It was her fault, really. It was three months into the season and he should have charmed her and bedded her repeatedly by now. Instead, though he had wasted half the season in sitting rooms "visiting," he still couldn't even get her to take a ride in his curricle with him!

When he had first placed his bet, there had been few takers. Now, as the season rolled on, the bets were stacking against him and his failure was beginning to be laughed about!

To make matters worse, Andrew, his brother the bishop, and Darcy, that pretentious, self-righteous nobody, had showed up and began interfering with his plans! Now _they _were visiting, always when he was there, and monopolizing Miss Bennet's time. For the slightest excuse he would challenge one or both to a duel, but he couldn't duel a clergyman and he feared Darcy. Darcy had always been better with pistol, blade, and fists. He _had _to find a way!

Jacobs, his valet, laid out his clothes but only hesitantly helped him to dress. Timothy restrained the urge to growl or strike the man. What were a few sores here and there? He was taking the usual cures and those would work soon. Everybody knew that the French disease could only be spread by bedding a doxy, so why should his valet act so stupidly skittish!?

"Today I have a task for you, Jacobs," the Viscount growled. The man's eyes lit up. He might be a cringing fool, but he was useful at times. Amoral and malicious, the little man was always ready for a little mischief.

oOo

Martha, the Cook for Livingston House these twenty years, glared at the smelly mixture slowly coming to temperature in her outside stove. Her husband, who was responsible for all maintenance on the house and grounds, had asked her to make a batch of boiled linseed oil for his current project. It was a smelly brew, definitely not one she would mix in her main kitchen. Marth disliked the stuff immensely. It scorched too easily, could catch fire if not attended, and if the hot mixture got on a person the burns were terrible. She did admit, however, that it put the most beautiful finish on the woodwork throughout the house.

Her solution was to heat it very slowly on a small fire in a long-handled iron kettle set apart for that use. It took longer and the smell therefore had time to spread, but it was safer that way. At least with her method she could step away for a while.

Five minutes later, as she extracted the cakes for today's tea out of the oven, one of her scullery maids ran up to her. "Ma'am, the stables at the Coopers are afire!"

Martha immediately sprang into action. "Douse all of the kitchen fires and cover any foods to protect them from soot. I'll notify the Lady."

oOo

"Yes Sir, they came to the door again. I'm afraid that Bingley woman actually attempted to step in despite my very clear refusal. What do you wish me to do, Mr. Darcy?"

Darcy grimaced, regretting once again that he was here in London rather than comfortably tucked into his library in Pemberley. Though he had kept the knocker off of his door and left Georgiana residing at Matlock House, certain annoying hangers-on always seemed to make their way to his door. Such was the case with Louisa Hurst and Caroline Bingley.

Charles Bingley was always welcome, but his annoying sisters were definitely less so. At the moment their current excuse was that Charles was wasting precious attention on "that country nobody," Jane Bennet. Of course, that was true with half of the Ton, including Darcy's eldest cousin, else why would he be here instead of where he wished to be?

The truth was that Darcy was quite impressed with Miss Bennet, though not in a romantic way. She was undeniably among the most beautiful women he had ever seen. That was true. Unfortunately, she had few but peripheral connections, those including his own aunt and Lady Miriam. She had no fortune of consequence, though her five-thousand was invested in the up-and-coming enterprises of Andrew Gardiner, Esquire, which was a worthwhile and lucrative investment. The reasons for _her _investment was familial, however. Gardiner was her uncle... a man in trade. She also had another uncle who was a solicitor.

With all of those detracting factors, she was undeniably genteel, well-behaved, and showed no signs of being the same grasping, clawing sort like Caroline Bingley. She smiled too much in Darcy's opinion, but her smiles seemed genuine enough. If she were truly grasping, she would have already focused all of her attention on any one of the four peers who regularly graced Lady Miriam's drawing room.

Actually, Darcy questioned why he was needed at all. Andrew Fitzwilliam, the second-eldest and a bishop, had been recently assigned new duties by the Archbishopric, placing him closer to London and making it possible for him to intervene with his brother. That had been the entire reason for Darcy's presence. Still, Georgiana seemed inordinately pleased to have him nearby, making it difficult to extract himself.

Georgiana had truly blossomed recently, gaining confidence and poise. Oddly enough, both his aunt, Lady Matlock, and Lady Miriam gave credit for the change to the Bennet sisters. "Kitty" Bennet, though a giggly girl with little polish, was completely accepting of Georgiana as she was, without judgment or censure. Her lively mind belied her poor health and the two often engaged in all manner of unexpected activities. Jane Bennet was the epitome of beauty and drew men like flies, yet Darcy had to concede that she was also unerringly kind and genteel. Both young girls tried to model their own poise and public behavior after her. The end result was a much more confident, composed, and altogether happier Georgiana.

On this particular day Georgiana was occupied with a project with her aunt and could therefore not attend. The two young female Fitzwilliams were also thus engaged. While they would have liked to include the Bennet ladies, this particular activity was by invitation of a distant relative, a duchess who was quite fastidious, class conscious, and unwelcoming to new acquaintances. Lady Miriam, Miss Bennet and her sister were therefore at home to visitors without the usual female wall of protection. As with many other occasions, this promised to be a lively gathering with many males in attendance.

Andrew joined Darcy at his house and the two rode through town and out of town to Greenwich. The area had once been decidedly rural, but of late it was expanding to the point that there would soon be no breaks uninhabited plots between Town and Greenwich. In fact, at the rate London was growing, Greenwich might soon become just another district of Greater London. On most days the stretch upon leaving the town proper was pleasant, but today there was the hint of a smell that suggested...

"Fire, Darce!" Andrew exclaimed and rode forward at a gallop. Darcy was only a pace behind as they saw the looming black smoke. Sure enough, there was a fire in the stables of the house just adjacent to Livingston House.

"Coopers," Darcy noted. The Coopers, of which only a father and son remained, were currently inspecting one of their properties in the south. As the pair drew near, they saw that there were already multiple servants fighting the fire while other local residents either watched or joined in the battle. Darcy and Andrew tied off their horses well away from the blaze, removed their jackets, and joined the others at work. A house fire in a neighborhood was a danger to all.

oOo

Lord Timothy Fitzwilliam watched with baleful glee as Livingston House emptied of servants as they joined others to fight the fire. He was about to enter said house when he noted his quarry and her sickly sister outside among the rest. The rage surfaced again, but he pushed it back and waited as patiently as he could.

Jane Bennet watched with sadness as the flames engulfed the small stable, but was pleased to hear that it had currently housed no horses. The Coopers were away at present and the house closed up. Jane watched the many people, servants and owners alike, working together to quell the fire and prevent it spreading. She wished to help, but Kitty was her highest priority and the men seemed to have the situation in hand.

She recognized Mr. Darcy, the stern-faced cousin of the Fitzwilliams, and Bishop Andrew Fitzwilliam, the second son of Lady Isabella, directing the efforts. Her face flushed slightly on watching the second man as he swung an axe to knock down a wall. He had been a regular attendee during morning visitations. Jane suspected that he was there at his sisters' requests, in order to provide a shield against Viscount Fitzwilliam, his older brother. Still, Jane _liked _the younger brother and found that she wished he was visiting on his own volition.

Jackson, one of Lady Miriam's footman, strode by and passed on the information that, "They have decided to let the stable burn, Miss. Not much chance to stop it. But we'll keep it from spreading." He touched a forelock in salute and passed on toward whatever task he had been given.

Kitty coughed roughly and Jane was suddenly aware of the dangers in keeping her younger sister out in this smoky air. "Come, Dear. Let us return to Livingston House. The servants are all occupied but we can make our own tea."

Off in the shadows of a nearby structure the Viscount grinned in malicious glee. _Today I will have my fill of the delightful chit. Tonight I dine at White's and collect my winnings._

oOo

It was Darcy who noticed the man without truly truly seeing him. Still, the momentary sighting had lingered in his head, niggling at the back of his brain. Just then there a was a creaking and groaning as one entire wall of the stable began to collapse outward. The image was forgotten for the moment as Darcy sprang forward to warn people out of the path of the falling structure.

oOo

Jane led Kitty to a wooden chair in the servants' rest area near to the kitchens. She knew from experience that the smoke smell on both of their day dresses was strong, though for the moment their noses were numb to any smell. Years ago one of the servants at Longbourn had lit a pipe and carelessly tossed the lighting paper away... directly into a clump of dry straw. Within minutes the pig shelter had gone up in flames.

The girls had watched as the men fought the fire and their mother ran about like a distressed hen.

Unsuprisingly, though Lizzy had been in London at the time, Mrs. Bennet had sought a way to blame her most-despised daughter. After the fire was quenched the girls had returned inside and sat on their mother's upholstered furniture... thus transferring the smoky smell from their dresses onto the furniture. Jane still remembered hearing her mother's complaints for months afterward... so today the girls would take tea in the abandoned servant's room on wooden chairs before withdrawing upstairs to change out of their smoky garments.

Jane walked uncertainly into the large kitchen area of Livingston House. Back at Longbourn, as a little child, Jane had often visited the kitchen area for treats, out of curiosity, or to visit with the nice adults there. Her own mother was prone to nervous complaints and loud behaviors, so the peaceful servants' domain was a place of rest for Jane. Later, when Mrs. Bennet discovered Jane's visits, she had been incensed, threatening to fire the cook and even Mrs. Hill for allowing such a break in propriety. Jane herself had not been punished, but she had been strongly admonished about keeping her station and exercising proper condescension.

Now Jane surveyed the room with trepidation until she found the water kettle and the tea leaves. The fire had been doused, but Lizzy had taught her how to start a fire on one cold night. Lizzy, ever curious, had watched the servants in three homes execute the task and had secretly practiced on her own until she had perfected the skill. Jane had been curious enough to follow her younger sister's instructions, so she now knew how to accomplish the feat.

It took a few attempts, but soon Jane had a proper fire going in the hearth. Stepping back with satisfaction, she began to turn for the kettle... when a powerful hand clamped over her mouth and a deep, malicious voice spoke into her ear, "Well, well, Miss Bennet, you have an interesting talent there for a gentlewoman... but we both know that isn't you're greatest talent..." another hand painfully squeezed one of Jane's breasts through her dress, "No, you _definitely _have other talents. I've waited as long as I intend to. Now I'm going to enjoy those talents to the fullest."

With that he jerked Jane off her feet, knocking over several pots in the process.

oOo

Kitty coughed again, trying not to be too loud and worry Jane. She wanted to enjoy tea with her sister, not be sequestered in her bedroom for fear of another asthma attack. Actually, it had been almost two months since the last and...

She jerked up at the sound of pots and pans striking the floor.

oOo

_Jacobs! _The image of the man he had glimpsed jumped into the forefront of Darcy's mind with sudden clarity. _Why did I see Timothy's valet... _He stiffened with alarm and quickly scanned for his other cousin, "Andrew!" The man looked over from where he was directing the efforts of a cluster of servants.

"Come with me, NOW!" Darcy was already running towards Livingston House before the confused bishop had even begun to move.

oOo

Kitty heard the struggle before she saw it. A large man, somewhat familiar even from the back, was pinning her beloved sister to the floor as Jane fought back with surprising strength. Even as Kitty watched, the man who she now recognized at that vile viscount struck her sister hard across the face. Kitty instantly searched the room for any weapon to use, but everything was on the opposite side of the struggle and thus out of her immediate reach. Desperate, she looked out the exit door and her eyes caught on the long-handled pot sitting on a small hearth. She ran for it and grabbed the long handle, not even noticing that the small hearth was still lit or considering that the liquid in the pot was boiling.

Jane was barely able to think after the blow, but she was still fighting like an animal. She had already clawed her assailants face and bit his shoulder, but he was much bigger and stronger and she was losing the fight. The viscount, now confident of his victory, rolled slightly to his side to reach for the bottom of the chit's dress. Jane, feeling the unexpected lessening of his weight, brought her one free knee upward with as much strength as she had remaining.

There was a muffled groan and a curse, but the big man rolled to the side. Then there was screaming... a lot of screaming.

Fitzwilliam Darcy ran through the front entrance of Livingston House, thinking to check upstairs, but quickly altered his path towards the service wing. Andrew, rushing into the house behind him, called out, "Darce! What is this about?"

One word was all that was needed, "Timothy!"

Both men rushed towards the screaming.

What they found set them back for a moment. Little Miss Kitty Bennet was kneeling with her sister, holding the young woman whose disheveled appearance and rapidly bruising face told the tale of the assault that the two men had feared. But it was the large figure writhing in agony nearby who was doing the screaming. Darcy saw Andrew rush to the two young ladies and could not blame him. He was surprised when the man took the shaking young woman into his arms and more surprised that she allowed it. In a moment she was grasping him tightly and crying into his shoulder.

Darcy resigned himself to dealing with Timothy. He turned away from the one scene to survey the other. The screaming had ceased now, probably because the man had passed out from pain... but why? There was a smell in the room, somewhat recognizable but odd for this setting: _Hot linseed oil? What would..._ He saw the little pot laying on the floor, the last remnants of its contents dripping out. He then looked at his troublesome cousin dripping with the steaming, viscous brew... and despite the horror of the scene, he had to fight a smile.

oOo

Dr. Ian MacDonald stepped out of the room where Miss Bennet lay recovering from her assault. Miss Kitty stood wringing her hands beside Lady Miriam and, unsuprisingly, Bishop Fitzwilliam. "Miss Bennet will recover, though the bruising will last for a while. Her left arm is wrenched badly and she's missing two fingernails where she scratched _that man._ She has bruising in various degrees all over her body..." he paused, uncomfortable relating this news in front of a male not of Miss Bennet's family and very much a part of the assailant's famiy, "Her attacker was _not_ successful in his assault."

Lady Miram's shoulders seemed to relax, as did the bishop's. Miss Kitty merely pushed past them all and went into her sister's room. The doctor was momentarily pleased to note that, despite the excitement of the past hours, Miss Kitty had not suffered an attack of asthma.

He turned to the two people remaining in the hall, "Lady Miriam, I know it is unpleasant, but I fear that we cannot remove... that man at the moment. Rest assured that he will not be in any position to offer any more harm to anybody for a very long time."

Lady Miriam's normally kind face was hard, "He may remain. Mr. Darcy has ridden back into Town to collect his parents. _They _can deal with him."

The doctor nodded and looked directly at Andrew, "Bishop Fitzwilliam, may we speak in private?"

The man nodded and Lady Miriam directed the two men to a guest room down the hall. Once alone, Dr. MacDonald expelled an angry breath. This man looked enough like his brother, the man who had assaulted the lovely Miss Bennet that he wanted to punch him. What was worse was that it had taken considerable pleading and cajoling to get Miss Bennet to finally release her iron grip on the second-eldest Fitzwilliam. Ian MacDonald had hoped to be the man who Jane Bennet would someday choose, but there was little hope for that now.

Scubbing his face his finally said, "Bishop Fitzwilliam, I think you know that we have been rivals for Miss Bennet's interest..." he raised both hands to forestall the other man's heated reply, "I realize that this might not seem the best moment to bring up this issue, but I have my reasons for doing so. I ask you to hear me out."

Andrew nodded. "Proceed."

"Miss Bennet has been compromised. As loyal as Lady Miriam's servants are, the tale will still leak out and its impact on Miss Bennet's name will be severe. This means that she will need to be married, Bishop... and I believe that she had made her choice." He paused, seeing the slight glimmer in the other man's otherwise hard expression. "There is, however, one other issue of which you need to be made aware..." He paused again before continuing, "Lord Timothy Fitzwilliam may recover from his burns, severe though they may be... but it is unlikely in the extreme that he will ever sire any heirs." At the bishop's quizzical expression, the doctor nodded, "Sir, your brother has the French disease... a rather advanced case I'm afraid. Even if... the burns abate enough for him to have relations, he should not, for the sake of the woman. More to the point, it is unlikely in the extreme that he could procreate at this stage of his illness."

The good doctor left the rest unsaid. Regardless of Timothy's recovery, Andrew would, sooner or later, be the next viscount and heir to the earldom. As such his marriage to Jane Bennet, a lady of little consequence, might be problematic... on the other hand, "My father might balk, but I am not dependent upon his goodwill. My mother is quite infatuated with Ja... Miss Bennet." His jaw was set as he looked his rival. The other man nodded. "Then, Sir, I wish you joy... assuming that you can convince Miss Bennet. I would advise a quick and quiet match, however. Despite my earlier vacillations, I do not honestly believe that your brother will recover."

_**Author's Note: **Sometime writing involves playing a scene over and over in my head in order to describe it properly. As you might imagine, I hate writing this chapter. _

_I am glad that most of the civilized world now views rape in the proper light and doesn't place all of the blame on the victim... though it is sad to say that they still place some of the blame in the wrong place. At the time of this story Jane would have been ruined and vilified while the viscount would continue to receive invitations to parties._

_© 2019. Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purpose of publication without the author's permission is forbidden._


	11. A most peculiar sort of affair

**Chapter Ten – A Most Peculiar Sort of Affair**

Mrs. Montgomery gestured for her daughter to refresh everyone's tea and made no effort to suppress a "harrrumph" of disgust and disdain. "Imagine! Yes, to be sure, the girl _is _becoming, but _I _never saw much in her looks! _I _saw her before Lady Miriam spent her fortune on the girl's wardrobe, mind you, and she was at least _three-seasons _out of style! To think that such a girl would marry into the _Fitzwilliam _family!"

Mrs. Zachary leaned forward to snag another peach tart before chiming in, "Well... you know... those Fitzwilliams after all. To be sure, this second son _is_ a Reverend and all; but what of his father?! His brother?! Such vile behavior, one wonders how such a family is even allowed in the peerage!"

"Well, the man _did _marry a _Spaniard_, after all," Miss Zachary interjected with a giggle.

"Yes," Miss Rowlings admitted as she put yet another cube of sugar in her tea*, "But at least _that woman_ brought the family a huge dowry. What about Miss Bennet? I hear she only brings _five-thousand pounds!_"

Miss Montgomery, who had actually befriended Miss Jane Bennet, attempted to quell the grousing, "I visited at the same time as the Reverend... and he seemed quite besotted..."

"_Of course _he was besotted!" Her mother scolded, "Men lose their minds around girls like her! I fairly expected one or other of the men to offer her _carte bla..."_

"MOTHER!" Mrs. Montgomery realized what she was about to say and blushed, but her sentiments remained the same. It was shameful that several young lords, a bishop, and even Mr. Darcy of Pemberley had danced attendance on that country nobody while ignoring her own pretty daughter! Didn't these men recognize quality when they saw it?

oOo

At Whites and other gentlemen's clubs similar discussions were taking place, only with less circumspection and more ribaldry.

"Don't know as how a _man of the cloth_ would know how to handle a beauty like that!" Lord Westing guffawed. "Wouldn't have minded a go at that myself."

"Strange thing, though," Lord Brady muttered, "I thought for sure that Ole' Timmy would pluck that particular bird of paradise. He was just bragging to me that he would be collecting very soon. But I haven't seen or heard from him in nigh on a month!

"I thought he might have gone with the rest of family back to Matlock for the wedding, but I noticed that his best mount _and _his carriage are in the stable behind his townhouse..."

Lord Hackley shook his head, "Not all the family went north, Brady. The Earl's still in his place, arguing politics in the Lords by day and drinking himself stupid every night."

"A most peculiar sort of affair, true," Sir Paul Driscoll agreed, "But tomorrow the chit will marry Townbridge's brother and you know what that means, Gentlemen? Ole' Timmy will owe us all some blunt!"

This resulted in a hearty cheer and a toast to the disappointed viscount.

oOo

Kitty, Mary, and Elizabeth sat on Jane's plush bed in Fairview, the seat of the Matlock earldom in the area of the same name, spending one final evening with their eldest sister. Lydia would arrive on the morrow, having only been afforded two days away from her school after being caught sneaking out on a lark with several friends.

The sisters were all pleased to see Jane laughing and smiling again. As soon as Lady Catherine had received her friend's letter concerning the attack, the de Bourgh carriage had carried her and her two wards to Greenwich. Elizabeth had been horrified and furious upon seeing Jane's injuries and it had taken both matron's to keep her from marching into the other patient's room to bludgeon the man to death. In the end it was only the fact that Viscount Townbridge would likely never recover from his burns and other closely held health problem which kept her at bay. Still, it was a relief to all when a heavily mattressed box wagon came to collect the Viscount late one night to carry him off to an undisclosed location.

Four weeks had passed since the attack. Four weeks in which Jane had recovered under the balm of sisterly consolation _and _under the gentle and loving attentions of none other than her attacker's own family.

Even though the threat of a compromise scandal had led Reverend Andrew Fitzwilliam to propose marriage, there had been no scandal. The servants of Livingston House, the only others who knew of the assault, were loyal to Lady Miriam. Not only that, but they had all come to like and admire the beautiful young lady who smiled so kindly and who devoted herself to caring for her younger sister. And though they hated and despised the Viscount, they liked and respected his younger brother... who seemed quite intent upon winning the fair lady's heart. By mutual agreement, not one word of the incident ever left the doors of Livingston House. Andrew asked for Jane's hand officially anyway and had been most gratefully accepted.

Truth be told, Jane was already half in love with him before his brother's assault. Andrew's tender attentions had only served to strengthen her belief that she had made the right decision. The welcome given her by the rest of the Fitzwilliams sealed her confidence... though the idea that her husband might soon be the next viscount, or even earl, was disquieting. Lady Isabella had spent several hours alone talking with Jane. When she left, Jane felt a new confidence that her future mother-in-law would train her in everything that she needed to know. Jane felt somewhat disloyal to her own mother, but she was quite happy to be welcomed with open arms by this gracious, lovely, and genteel woman.

oOo

As soon as she felt it safe to do so Lady Isabella had insisted on relocating the entire party to the Matlock estate. In the meantime Mr. Darcy had taken on the unenviable task of escorting the second patient to a small, remote estate well off the beaten path. By slow steps the box wagon transporting Timothy and a medical team traveled to a Fitzwilliam property in Rogart, Scotland. Ironically, it was the same estate where two of Timothy's female victims had previously spent time while waiting to birth one of his children. Had either girl known, they would have danced in glee over his downfall.

Lord Timothy Fitzwilliam had regained consciousness sufficiently to be aware of his world and vocalize his agony. The maid who had been tasked with dowsing the kitchen fires had not known of the cook's other project and had therefore never dowsed that fire. The pot of linseed oil had been close to boiling over when Kitty grabbed the handle. The viscount, in order to blend in with the others fighting the fire, had shed his jacket prior to entering Livingston House. In short, there was only one thin layer of cloth between his upper body and the boiling liquid, only two layers between it and his lower half, and no layers protecting his face... and the majority had landed on the latter. By the time that the oil had cooled and had been removed, his handsome face was unrecognizable.

Darcy rode most of the distance on one of a pair of horses he brought along for this purpose. He disliked his cousin in the best of times. Now he had no desire to be close enough to hear the man's constant moans and vile mutterings. Truthfully, he felt as if he was in a nightmare for much of the journey. The burns were horrible enough, but those were exacerbated by the rampant spread of postules and open sores from the French disease which was now spreading unchecked.

Not for the first time Darcy blessed his father's memory for taking the time to educate him about the potential dangers of licentious behavior. "Son, the lure of quick and easy pleasure without any commitment is strong. There are any number of ladies willing to share their... virtues with a rich and handsome man. But if they share with one, then they almost certainly share with others. The chances of making her with-child should be one deterrent; you cannot properly take care of a woman and child who are not bound to you through marriage, and it would not be fair to your future wife and children to do so.

"The other, and very real danger, is that they will leave you with a disease that will eat away at you, render you unable to produce an heir, and eventually kill you." Mr. Darcy had then sat his son down with a book written by a prominent physician. It not only described the progress of the French disease in detail, but contained vivid illustrations showing the progression. Fitzwilliam Darcy had been convinced. As he rode ahead of the box wagon now, he wondered _why did father not have the same conversation with George Wickham? Or did he and George just chose not to listen? _

Upon their enrollment at Eton, cousin Timothy had taken George under his wing. Fitzwilliam often thought that his cousin had done this in order to strike out at him. The two cousins had never been close. Regardless of the reason, Timothy's influence had steadily turned George toward his own bad habits. Richard, Timothy's youngest brother and young Darcy's other best friend, always maintained that George Wickham was always a twisted soul, but Darcy still believed that there had been good in his chilhood playmate. By the time that he had left Eton and gone on to Cambridge, Wickham was a different person altogether.

_You will have much to answer for when you meet God, cousin Timothy. _Darcy saw the wagon lurch in a rut and heard the viscount's agonized screams. _And I fear that will not be too long in you future._

oOo

Georgiana Darcy was quite downhearted when the physician determined that she would be unable to take the trip to Matlock with her family and her dear friend Kitty. On the same week that something terrible had happened to Miss Bennet, she had come down with a spring cold... at least that is what was thought at first. Unfortunately, the illness continued to worsen until she was confined to bed with an entire staff of doctors and nurses seeing to her care. By that point the doctor's diagnosis had changed from spring cold to influenza.

With Kitty's own asthma problems it would have been imprudent for her to visit when it was thought to be a cold. Now that it was much worse, any visits were impossible. Georgiana's new companion, Mrs. Younge, graciously cared for her and read to her, but the poor girl was quite bereft without her dearest friend. Georgiana's brother visited often at the beginning, but after her fever broke he was given a task that would take him away from her for several weeks. She tried not to be resentful, but his abandonment hurt.

Mrs. Younge attempted to console her, but Georgiana did not appreciate being told things like, "Your brother has many important matters to interest him, Dear Child. I am certain that he _must _care for you, but you must not expect to be his _priority. _Please do not feel missish. After all, very few adult siblings continue to maintain close ties. Soon he will find a wife and then _she _must become his priority. But the same will be true for you. There is most certainly a handsome young man in your future. Who knows, you might even meet him earlier than you expect. Forgive your brother for his neglect and do not hold it against him that he has other priorities now."

As Georgian turned away from her companion and buried her face in her pillow, Mrs. Younge allowed herself a triumphant smile.

oOo

Elizabeth Bennet saw Fitzwilliam Darcy for the first time on the day of her dear sister Jane's wedding. He had completed his return trip only that same morning. She was walking one of the Matlock estate's many paths on that foggy morning. At one point it crossed the main drive leading up to the manor house and it was here that they shared their first encounter.

Elizabeth was preparing to cross when a horse thundered up the drive. Upon seeing her through the fog, the large beast reared. The rider maintained his seat, but barked, "Have a care! What are you doing out alone on a morning like this?"

Darcy was startled when a pair of startling, feiry dark eyes glared up at him from under the girl's bonnet, "I am walking, _Sir!_ And with the express permission of the Mistress of this estate. So before you come thundering up a private drive, you _have a care _and look where you are going." The chit harrumphed and strode briskly across the road, following her path without another backward glance. In a moment she was lost in the fog.

oOo

_**Notes: **And so Elizabeth and Darcy finally meet... and as expected, their first meeting does not go well. Will their subsequent meetings during the wedding day go any better? Only time will tell (the time it takes me to type the next chapter). You will notice the absence of the Bennet parents in this chapter. Though Mr. Bennet was informed, he deemed it better to not insert his wife into the situation. Whether due to cowardice or prudence, he determined to not ever inform Mrs. Bennet about the attack, and to only inform her about the wedding after the fact. This, of course, may come back to bite him._

_And while Darcy is doing his best to protect his family from scandal, Mrs. Younge is laying the groundwork for her lover, George Wickham, to insert himself into Georgiana's life._

_* While it is true that many homes ceased the use of sugar cubes in protest to slavery, I do not believe that all homes employed this practice. First, because there was no noticeable dip in the sugar profits during that decade, and second, because women like Mrs. Montgomery and Rowlings would not inconvenience themselves over an issue of such little importance to them personally._

_© 2019. Duplication of all or any portion of this document for the purpose of publication without the author's permission is forbidden._


	12. Difficult Relatives and Insufferable Men

_**Notes: **Sorry to those reviewers who hoped for a different story for Georgiana. Ramsgate is actually essential to this story, but have no fear. She will have her happily-ever-after. Not everyone will. In fact.. well no, that will have to wait. Enjoy._

**Chapter Twelve – Difficult Relatives and Insufferable Men**

Jane Bennet still felt phantom pains on the left side of her face where _that man_ had punched her. She still felt the now faded bruises where he had harshly grabbed her and tried to force her into submission. And she still felt the now-healed scratches on the inside of her leg where his hand had tried to force her dress up. She still smelled his fetid, alcohol-laced breath as he tried to force kisses on her. She told these things to nobody, but they were still there and they continued to haunt her. The only time that these faded away was when her Andrew held her.

It was inappropriate for a single woman to be wrapped in the arms of a single man... or any man except her own father, but it seemed that the Fitzwilliams and her own sisters understood. Over the past month there had been several times when the fear and the shaking had returned. In each of those times Andrew somehow magically appeared and the room in which they were in mysteriously cleared. For the next few minutes or hours... she never knew how time passed during these episodes... she was held by the best man she had ever known. It was inappropriate, but it had been all that had helped her to heal.

And now she was walking down the aisle on her uncle's arm and Andrew Fitzwilliam was waiting for her at the altar. Her own father had wisely chosen to keep their mother ignorant and at home. Jane, though she loved her Mama, was grateful for her absence. Mrs. Bennet would have ranted about the attack despite all attempts to keep the matter quiet. She would have lamented about Andrew's position as a second son and speculated about whether his elder brother might pass, thereby making her "most beautiful daughter" a viscountess. She would have waxed endlessly ineloquent about her new illustrious connections and how Jane would throw her other daughters "into the path of _other _rich men.

She would have found some way to make Lizzy the culprit for anything that went wrong.

All of the pain and fear Jane still felt vanished as she looked into Andrew's eyes and realized that she loved him. On one side her dear sister Elizabeth stood as maid of honor. On the other stood the tall and slightly forbidding looking Mr. Darcy. She noticed them peripherally, but her mind only saw Andrew. Somehow she made it through the ceremony and the signing of the book. Somehow she made it through the wedding breakfast. And then she was in a carriage with her new husband and Jane Fitzwilliam waved as they rode away.

They went to one of Darcy's smaller estates where the manor house was located at the edge of a crystal blue lake. There they ate and refreshed and strolled along a rustic path until evening came.

Andrew had worried about the wedding night. How receptive would his beautiful Jane be to his overtures after her terrible experience. But his mother's admonition was sound: "Talk to her, Andrew. Be honest and open. Listen to what she says and does not say. Then trust her at her word." Andrew and Jane had talked. She had shocked him and herself when she fiercely proclaimed, "He tried to take what should only be given to the man I love. _You _are the man I love and the only man who I will ever share a bed with... so Andrew, please make me your wife completely."

He did. He made her his completely in the most gentle, giving, and loving manner possible.

And when Jane awoke to the trill of birds outside of their window, she felt none of the pains or fears that had haunted her for the past month.

ooOoOOoOoo

Lady Catherine decided to remain another seven days complete before returning to Rosings. Her time spent with that impertinent girl had changed her; had restored her to the outgoing person she had been as a young lady. Being here in Matlock, where she had spent those years, reminded her of better times. With Jane and Andrew's wedding accomplished, now the lady wished to visit some old haunts and see some old friends. Sometimes she took Elizabeth and Mary along, but more often than not she went alone to relax and reminisce. The young ladies were enjoying their time with the Fitzwilliam ladies, so they did not mind.

Elizabeth was sharing an uneasy truce with Fitzwilliam Darcy. He thought her to be impertinent, headstrong, and entirely too free with her opinions. She thought him insufferable, arrogant, and entirely too full of himself. They both recognized great intelligence in the other, so any given moment might find them arguing over a vast range of subjects. The rest of the household found the pair vastly amusing and often annoying.

"Of _course _you would espouse that opinion. Yet the simple fact is that people are born to a certain sphere and should remain there. I know of a specific case where a young man of inferior breeding was offered every opportunity to improve himself. He was sent to Eton. He was sent to Cambridge. He _should _have taken that education and made something of himself, but his inferiority exerted itself and now he is the worst profligate I know."

"Oh, _really? _Tell me, Mr. Darcy, of your 'higher spheres', what do you say of a man, the son of a peer, who had all of the same advantages you speak of, in fact, I suspect even more, _and yet _he gambles and carouses and assaults young ladies for no other reason than that _he can? _Is _his _blood perhaps tainted? Should we expect more of the same from others in his family circle, Sir?"

Both realized at that moment that her specific example might disquiet others nearby, so they glanced about. Both were thankful to realize that they were entirely alone in the library... again. It seemed that their _discussions _had the power to drive others away. Mr. Darcy cleared his throat, "Miss Bennet, could I persuade you to take a walk in the garden with me?"

Embarrassed and ashamed that her words might have hurt Lady Isabella, who she found to be a dear, sweet lady, she complied. A few minutes later several pairs of eyes were watching the pair with interest as they walked and argued in the sprawling Matlock garden. Standing in such a way that the curtains hid her from view, Emilia Fitzwilliam giggled, "They certainly make a pretty pair, as long as you aren't in the same room with them when they argue. La, but those two never seem to agree about anything!"

Mary Bennet was still somewhat meek, but she had found her voice at Rosings, "I am not certain what to think. On one hand, they never seem to agree... but on the other hand it almost seems as if they _enjoy _their conflicts."

Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam, Countess Matlock chuckled, "Girls, I think that you need to read 'Much Ado about Nothing.' Those two can never woo peacefully, I suspect."

It was Kitty, surprising all, who got the reference first and furnished, "They certainly seem like Beatrice and Benedict... And despite what Lizzy might say, I think she likes it that Mr. Darcy respects her intellect enough to argue with her."

The countess nodded, "Precisely. I would be willing to predict that those two will argue themselves right into matrimony if they aren't careful... but it will not be a peaceful process for any of us."

On the following day Mr. Darcy had to return to London and his sick sister. Elizabeth was happy to see the insufferable man go... she was quite certain of it. Still, life did seem rather dull in Matlock after his departure. She was glad when Lady Catherine announced her own intentions of departing on the morrow. Mary was to go to London, however. With Jane gone she felt that someone should assist Lady Miriam with Kitty. Of course the fact that Greenwich was only twenty-two miles away from Longbourn and Mr. Percy Griffin. Now that she was sixteen, Mary thought about the man more and more. Perhaps he could visit without her mother's interference?

Elizabeth was pleased to return to Rosings. It was her home now and she loved the great pile almost as much as she loved all of the estates many paths. Listening to the Fitzwilliam daughters had also renewed her passion for playing and singing. She greatly looked forward to renewing her lessons and taking both of those skills to the next level of accomplishment.

oOo

Fitzwilliam Darcy returned to Darcy House to find a somewhat recovered but much-subdued sister waiting for him. He could not understand what was wrong, but Mrs. Younge assured him that it was only the aftermath of the influenza and that he should not be concerned.

With that assurance, Darcy unwisely chose to give Georgiana her space until she was ready to talk. So while he buried himself in the minutia of estate management and investments, Mrs. Younge continued to pour poison into young Georgiana's ears.

When their family doctor suggested that fresh air might aid in Georgiana's recovery, Mrs. Younge was ready with the suggestion that a holiday in Ramsgate would be "just the thing." Georgiana begged. Darcy agreed. Georgiana Darcy and her companion departed for Ramsgate and a pleasant summer holiday. Darcy sighed as the carriage disappeared from view and returned his attention to the pile of correspondence on his desk which demanded his attention.

oOo

At Longbourn, Mrs. Bennet read the wedding announcement in the Times and went on a rampage, cursing her husband for excluding her from her 'dearest daughter's' event. As predicted, she found a way to blame Elizabeth. Soon thereafter she dispatched a hateful, scathing letter to Rosings.

In Hunsford Mr. Collins barely twitched at hearing the news that the mistress of Rosings and her pretty ward had returned to Rosings. But as he bent over his work of copying, he began to replay his plans for Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

In Ramsgate Georgiana was shyly pleased to meet the handsome young man who had featured prominently in her childhood. She had experienced her first crush with George Wickham. Now the way he looked into her eyes made her tender, lonely heart thrill.

Four weeks later, in Rogart, Lord Timothy Fitzwilliam expelled one last agonized breath, arched his back, and collapsed lifeless back into his mattress.

oOo

_**Author's Notes: **Another short chapter, but the catalyst for everything which will soon follow. Let us hope that our friends are prepared for a wild ride._


	13. Rogart, Rosings, and Ramsgate

_**Notes:** I realized my mistake at the end of the last chapter and have now corrected it: Lord Timothy dies four weeks after the previous events, or shortly before the express riders' make their appearance in this chapter._

_To answer eatanygoodbookslately: Lizzy agreed to always walk with a footman there in Kent. She does not think herself in any danger at the Matlock estate. Your alias reminds me of something one of my professors used to say: "You buy'em books and you buy'em books and what'a they do? They eat the pages!"_

**Chapter Thirteen – Rogart, Rosings, and Ramsgate**

Darcy never questioned what his aunt and uncle knew about his thoughts and feelings concerning the second Bennet daughter. That was well, since he did not entirely understand them himself. Over the past two weeks since he last saw Elizabeth Bennet he found that the dratted woman occupied entirely too many of his waking and sleeping hours.

Darcy found himself wondering what Elizabeth (for he could no longer think of her as just Miss Bennet or even _Miss _Elizabeth) would think about this, or how she would argue about that. He was well aware that she often took opposing views just for the sake of prolonging their debates and getting under his skin. Her pert opinions and fiery eyes were imprinted on his soul. She was knowledgeable and honest in her intellect, confident in what she did know and perfectly willing to acknowledge what she did not. So very different from other young women who only knew what was happening in the gossip columns.

And as if that were not enough, her physical properties dominated his thoughts as well. When he first saw her after that initial confrontation, he had tried to convince himself that she had no very remarkable features. As those days together progressed, he discovered, much to his chagrin, that her figure was light and pleasing and that it moved in delightful ways whenever she walked about... which she did often. He found that her face, though not perfectly symmetrical, was all that was enticing to look at, with large eyes, a pert nose, a pointed chin, and full lips that just begged for attention. She did not smile as often as her sister had before the attack, but when she did her smile made his heart stop. He had woken more than one time in recent days to discover that he had embarrassed himself in his dreams of her.

He had tried to distract himself with his work and with writing to Georgiana. His work either failed to catch his interest or led him to consider Elizabeth's opinions on what should be done. His letters to Georgiana received almost mechanical replies, as if she were disinterested or had her own pursuits. It hurt Darcy to read them, but Mrs. Younge assured him that all was well and that the young lady was slowly recovering her equilibrium. "Best to allow her to find her strength on her own for now, Sir," Mrs. Younge had advised in her own weekly letters.

So when his Aunt Isabelle wrote asking him to take on the yearly visit to Rosings in her husbands place, Darcy was quick to comply. He told himself that he did this to be closer to his sister... and he didn't believe that either.

oOo

Elizabeth was taken aback when she looked up from her morning ramble to see a familiar rider on a great black stallion riding towards her. Her first unbidden thought was _Good Lord he is handsome,_ quickly followed by irritation at such unwanted thoughts. This led, of course, to her second thought which was, _What is that insufferable man doing here? _At which point she pushed down the rather inappropriate thrill that coursed through her as he drew near and the sun shone on his powerful frame.

Darcy's reactions were somewhat similar and he found himself momentarily tongue-tied as he once again encountered those remarkable eyes. They both stayed fixed for a long moment, she looking up and he looking down, before he finally recalled his manners and dismounted. Touching his hat he quickly said, "Miss Bennet, you are out walking."

Darcy cringed as the large footman who was several paces behind Elizabeth covered his mouth to hide his mirth. Elizabeth's own eyes twinkled momentarily in amusement as she replied, "As you see. What brings you here to Rosings, Sir?"

The footman, who knew Mr. Darcy was a relative of Lady Catherine and therefore safe, stepped up and quietly offered to take the horse's reins. Darcy nodded and said, "Thank you, Bob," before turning back to offer his arm to Elizabeth. "I was asked to look over the books in my uncle's stead. As you know, he comes himself to do it each year, but this year he is tied up with politics."

Elizabeth's hand clenched for a second on the taller man's arm as she corrected, "Actually, he did not come last year either. The year before he came while we were away at Margate and his visit, as I understand it, was very brief. This last year he never appeared... so I took on the task myself." Her final sentence was delivered with a touch of defiance, challenging Mr. Darcy to object.

"Well... I suppose that was necessary. But no worries, now I am here to see that it is done properly this year."

Elizabeth's hand left Darcy's arms and her fists clenched at her sides. Without realizing it, her pace accelerated. Mr. Darcy was startled, but his long legs quickly caught up and he asked, "Is there something amiss, El... Miss Bennet?"

Elizabeth did not trust herself to answer him properly, so she chose to remain silent. Up until that moment they had often disagreed, but that insufferable man had never previously treated her with dismissive condescension.

oOo

Lady Catherine was pleased to see her nephew, but she very quickly discerned that there was a definite and unpleasant tension between the two young people. She had noticed the odd relationship that the pair shared during the Matlock visit, but she had not actually attached much attention to the matter. At the time her own thoughts had been caught up in the past and in her childhood. Now her focus was on her nephew and her ward.

Though Lady Catherine was as conscious of rank as she ever was, she now considered Elizabeth to be almost a daughter. Therefore she did not in any way consider Elizabeth to be unworthy of her nephew. In fact, her motherly instincts were quick to consider whether or not Fitzwilliam was worthy of her Elizabeth. There was an undeniable tension between the two, and not just the unpleasant feeling which currently presided. Perhaps it would do to promote Elizabeth's better qualities.

"Elizabeth, would you please play for us?" Elizabeth stood from her chair and walked briskly, it might almost be considered stomping, over to the pianoforte. It was clear that she was angry about something, because she chose a piece which was neither light nor restive. Lady Catherine raised bemused eyebrows, but refrained from comment.

"Come, Darcy, tell me about your time in London."

oOo

Darcy went over the books with great care and was pleased to find nothing of consequence wrong with the accounting. He did have several questions about expenditures that he would save to address with Lady Catherine. At the present his mind was preoccupied with another resident of Rosings. He knew Elizabeth was angry, but he could not discern her reason. Before, during their numerous debates, her eyes had often flared with irritation, but she had always responded by challenging him. This time she was deliberately ignoring and avoiding him.

Just then the object of his thoughts stomped into the office, collected the master's journal, and turned to leave without even acknowledging his presence. Irritated, he snapped, "What are you _doing _with that, Miss Bennet? I am in the middle of conducting a survey."

Elizabeth's blazing eyes pinned him, "I am adding an entry about the MacHenry's, _Mister Darcy._ Per prior agreement they have fenced in the south marsh and dug a drainage canal so that it can be planted. _Our _agreement was that _if _MacHenry prepared it, he and his family could claim it as a portion of their tenantry. _We _provided the lumber for the fence. MacHenry and his sons provided the labor for the drainage. As all conditions have been met, MacHenry now has rightful claim. _I _am simply including this information in the journal for posterity and legal reasons. That is how it was done at _little insignificant Longbourn, _so it makes perfect sense that it should be done here. Do _you _have any objection to this, _Mister Darcy?_

Darcy sighed, "Eliz... Miss Bennet, would you please tell me what I have done to offend you?"

Elizabeth's voice dropped in timbre as she mimicked his own words, "...no worries, now I am here to see that it is done properly this year."

She completed her entry, slammed the book onto the desk, and crashed out of the room.

Darcy groaned. _I am such an idiot._

oOo

Lady Catherine laughed. She laughed! "You and your father are more alike than you realize, Darcy." She chortled and shook her head. "Your mother once relocated herself here for a full three months after your father made a similar blunder. My Louis would never have dared to suggest that I was incompetent to handle my own affairs, but oh, the Darcy arrogance! I only hope that you have the good sense to acknowledge your fault to the one you care about sooner than three months! I do not wish to listen to Elizabeth pounding on my poor pianoforte for that long."

Still chuckling, she waved her nephew off, "Go and reconcile with your lady, Darcy."

"She is not..." Darcy stopped as his aunt gave him a pointed look, daring him to finish that foolish statement. Bowing his head, he turned and left the room. Still shaking her head, Lady Catherine realized _I had every intention of marrying Anne to that boy... but she would have never had the impertinence necessary to tame him. Make him beg, Elizabeth. He deserves a little humble pie._

oOo

Elizabeth scowled when she turned the corner on her favorite path to find it blocked by the large figure of Mr. Darcy. She was preparing to walk around him when he softly said, "Please, Elizabeth. I am sincerely sorry for insulting your efforts. You must know how greatly I admire your intellect and your wit? It was foolish of me to ever question your abilities." He extended a very sorry collection of flowers that had clearly been held too long by a nervous hand.

It was the very pathetic nature of the flowers that broke through her stubborn anger and hurt. But she had no intention of making this easy for the man. Looking up, she glared into his eyes. Those eyes were sad and there was something more there which almost made her relent, but no. He must fully acknowledge her abilities if they were ever to move on from here with their... _with whatever this is between us._

"Since you have chosen to interrupt my morning walk, I shall take you on a tour of this estate and show you what has been done in this last two years, _Mister Darcy."_ Her tone was no longer angry, but it was firm. She raised an eyebrow in challenge, completely unaware of what this did to him. "That is supposing that those long legs can handle such a trek _on-foot._"

Darcy would always choose horseback to walking, but in this instance he was willing to take on any physical challenge if it meant a return of Elizabeth's favor. The loss of her esteem... something he had not even been aware of until it was gone... had impacted him in a way he never imagined possible.

So for the next three hours Elizabeth, Darcy, and Bob the footman walked the estate of Rosings. What Darcy found was that not only were all of the tenant and outbuildings in fine repair, but the fields were well-drained, the four-course system of crop rotation was in effect, and the stone fences were all in excellent condition. Having expected something different, Darcy had to acknowledge that even Pemberley was not any better managed.

"And... and you have done all of this, Elizabeth?" At some point in their walk Elizabeth had begun to be aware that Mr. Darcy had dropped all formality in his address, but she liked the way her name sounded in his deep tone that she had yet to correct him. Bob the footman had cleared his voice once or twice, perhaps to make that point, but he was now resigned to what he was witnessing.

"Charlotte and I, with Mary this past few months, and Lady Catherine, of course."

"Remarkable. You are as capable as any land owner I know... you will make a fine mistress of an estate someday."

Elizabeth blushed, but was too aware of the difference in their stations to assume what she now wished for. "I doubt that I will ever marry, Mr. Darcy. What man would be willing to put up with my temper and impertinence?" Darcy's only answer was to offer his arm as they turned to complete their trek.

oOo

The first express rider reached Rosings exactly four weeks after the return of Lady Catherine and Elizabeth; two weeks after Mr. Darcy's arrival.

Darcy was out riding the estate for a final survey. Lady Catherine was taking her daily _afternoon sabbatical_, because, in her own words, "the daughters of peers do not 'nap'." Elizabeth had just finished with Mr. Pickering, her pianoforte master, and was practicing her new lessons. Whereas before she learned all about _how _to play, now she was learning about music theory and how to put meaning and expression into her work. Expression had always been her strong point, but Mr. Pickering was now teaching her why every note the composers used was important and essential to the whole...

… this of course meant that "fudging" and "slurring" were no longer acceptable practices. Thankfully her new master was adept at bringing out the joy of music. Elizabeth could not lament her lessons nor begrudge the hours of practice required between lessons. In fact a whole new world of music was opening before her.

Elizabeth was only beginning to work through her third full rendering of a new Mozart piece when she saw the rider thundering up the lane. Fearing some terrible news about one of her sisters, she quickly abandoned the music room and went to join the butler at the door. Mr. Matthews already held the missive on a silver tray, his expression chagrined. "It is an express from Lord and Lady Matlock, Miss Bennet. Our Lady has only now laid down to rest..."

Sighing, Elizabeth said, "We must inform her, Mr. Matthews. I fear that I know what this message pertains. I shall wake her." She turned to go and then turned, "Please send someone to seek out Mr. Darcy and bring him back here."

Taking the message, Elizabeth ascended the stairs to the grand bedroom. After knocking lightly, Elizabeth began to open the door only to find Lady Catherine dressed and ready to exit. "Alice already woke me, Elizabeth." The older woman seemed to brace herself. Jaw set, she broke the wax seal and read, "Lord Timothy is no more. Andrew is now Viscount..." She saw Elizabeth's concerned look, "I expect that Andrew and Jane will be left to their own devices for another day or two. Then their wedding trip will need to be cut short."

Without thinking Elizabeth wrapped an arm around her dear psuedo-mother's waist as they walked down the hall and descended the stairs. Lady Catherine was in deep contemplation, but she finally said, "I must go to London, of course, but I see no reason for you to stop your lessons for a second time. With the Reverend and Mrs. Dowding living at the parsonage, I have no concerns about your safety. You may remain here."

Elizabeth was shocked with her strong desire to argue. Her concern was not for her sister Jane, who could not possibly bemoan the passing of that vile man. No, the person whose image almost sparked a protest in her was tall, broad shouldered, and dark haired with one troublesome lock of hair that always fell across his forehead. Naturally it was ridiculous for her to be thinking about following Mr. Darcy back to London for what was a personal family matter, so she tamped down her protest before it reached her lips. Instead she nodded and replied, "Of course, Lady Catherine. I agree that a second long disruption might be detrimental. Only, please pass on my deepest sympathies to the family."

Lady Catherine gave her ward a slight nod and then walked off toward her study to make arrangements for travel. Mr. Darcy arrived shortly thereafter. Elizabeth had already instructed his valet to help him prepare for departure, so he was soon ready. Darcy offered to transport his aunt, but she needed to make a detour, so she sent him on ahead. With a final long look at Elizabeth, Darcy rode away. Lady Catherine was on the road shortly thereafter.

oOo

Mr. Collins happened to be in his desk near to the solicitor's door when Lady Catherine stepped in. He made himself invisible to her by ducking around a corner until she passed by, and then rapidly returned to his desk in order to appear busy and to listen in.

"Mr. Paulson, I will require you to make an alteration to my will. My nephew Andrew Fitzwilliam has just been elevated to Viscount with the passing of his older brother. He will no longer require any support from my estate. That portion set aside for him shall now be added to that of his younger brother, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam. I have also decided to add an additional five-thousand to my ward's dowry. Please have the revised will ready for me to sign upon my return to this area in seven days."

"As you wish, your Ladyship. It shall be ready."

Collins barely had time to conceal himself before the irritating windbag passed out of the solicitor's office, then the front office, and out of the building. Collins snuck to the window to watch and confirm his suspicions. As he hoped, he only saw an older woman's maid in the vehicle. _Miss Elizabeth Bennet is not accompanying her ladyship on this trip. She will be gone for an entire week! By the time she returns little miss high and mighty will be well and truly compromised and properly submissive! She will have to marry me then! I have seen the will... Elizabeth's dowry is now twenty-five thousand! What a fine thing for me!_

oOo

The second express rider reached Rosings around an hour after her ladyship's departure. This one came from a most surprising source. Penelope, Elizabeth's former lady's maid, had departed earlier in the year to join her sister and sister's husband in Ramsgate. At the time she had written a simple letter to inform Elizabeth that she had arrived safely and that all was well. This letter was neither simple nor reassuring:

_Miss Bennet,_

_I write this with serious concerns for one of Lady Catherine's nieces, Miss Georgiana Darcy. As you know, I worked for Rosings for more than ten years before I had the honor of being your Abigail. During that time I heard many conversations and was privy to much servant gossip. A man named George Wickham was often spoken of with caution among the girls._

_Mr. Wickham was the elder Mr. Darcy's godson. He was a very handsome man even when he was young. He was also charming, and he used that charm to seduce several of the servants at Pemberley and other estates. When he got a girl named Martha with-child at Rosings, Lady Catherine forbid the man from ever visiting, even though the elder Mr. Darcy would not believe Martha's story that Mr. Wickham had promised to marry her._

_I mention this all because I have recently seen Mr. Wickham here in Ramsgate. I did not pay much attention at first, but I have since seen him walking the promenade with Miss Darcy. The other thing that I noticed was that Mrs. Younge, Miss Darcy's companion, has frequently absented herself during these walks. Knowing what I do about Mr. Wickham, I fear the worst._

_I leave it to you to decide who to inform about this information._

_(she included instructions on how to locate Miss Darcy's residence in Ramsgate)_

_I am, as always, your loyal servant,_

_Penelope Potts_

Elizabeth was instantly reminded of Kitty's recent letter, in which she sadly told of how her dear friend Georgiana had not replied to even one of her letters since relocating to Ramsgate. Mr. Darcy had mentioned how mechanical and unemotional Georgiana's letters had become. He had intended to make her a visit when the express rider disrupted those plans. _Something is very rotten here._ Elizabeth quickly instructed Mr. Matthews to have the second carriage prepared for a trip to Ramsgate. Then she went to her writing desk and penned a quick letter to Mr. Darcy. After instructing the butler to have the letter sent express, she, her lady's maid June, and Bob the footman boarded the carriage and departed for the coast.

Elizabeth was too distressed to note the odd, beetle-like figure of Mr. Collins as they passed him on the road. He did happen to notice her, however, and he cursed as his plans were set awry again. If only Mr. Paulson had not kept him working so long that day! Then he gritted his teeth and stomped back into Hunsford, where he collected his worldly goods and commissioned a hack to follow his quarry. He assumed that the young lady was heading back toward her home, so when they reached the crossroads he had his driver head north instead of south and east.

oOo

It was nearing evening when the Rosings carriage finally pulled to a stop in front of the home that Penelope had identified in her letter. Elizabeth had almost three hours to consider a plan if this Mr. Wickham was there at the residence. She only hoped it was enough.

With a deep breath and a bold stride she stepped up to the house and knocked.

oOo

_**Author's Notes: **Yeah, I'm a bad person. But the chapter was just getting so long that I had to end it there... honest._

_I have thought for quite a while about what Lady Catherine might do for Elizabeth. Since her Anne's dowry was never going to be needed, I thought of giving Lizzy a portion of that. In this story Lady Catherine has full and complete control of her wealth and property, so she can do with it as she wills. I am therefore assuming that she held a portion of Anne's dowry of thirty-thousand back for the other Bennet daughters, but is increasing Elizabeth's dowry now that she sees a clear and definite future for the "impertinent young woman." I also wanted Elizabeth's dowry to exceed that of Caroline Bingley, though I am uncertain if I even intend to have her in this story at this point._


	14. Slight of hand

**Chapter Fourteen – Slight of Hand**

_It was nearing evening when the Rosings carriage finally pulled to a stop in front of the home that Penelope had identified in her letter. Elizabeth had almost three hours to consider a plan if this Mr. Wickham was there at the residence. She only hoped it was enough._

_With a deep breath and a bold stride she stepped up to the house and knocked._

After what seemed like an eternity, but was only in fact a minute, the door opened and an elderly housekeeper looked out. "Hello, how may I help you?"

"I am Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Lady Catherine De Bourgh's ward. As you most certainly know, Lady Catherine is Miss Darcy's nearest relative next to her brother. She had to make a call, but she sent me on ahead. May I step in please?" Elizabeth spoke with such confidence and such an assumption of recognition that the poor bewildered housekeeper stepped aside and let the young lady and her two servants in. Just before stepping far enough for the housekeeper to close the door, Elizabeth called to the coachman, "There is no need for you to return for Lady Catherine, George. She expects to secure a ride from the magistrate. Please go ahead and stable-down for the night."

Elizabeth stepped back enough for the housekeeper to close the door and turned to find herself facing a pretty but pinch-faced woman of about seven and twenty. "What is the meaning of this? Who are you, young woman?"

Smiling yet adopting a certain air of haughtiness, Elizabeth replied, "Ah, you must be Mrs. Younge. Please inform Georgiana that Miss Bennet is here and that she and Lady Catherine de Bourgh will require rooms for the next several days."

"Rooms! Lady Catherine? I have heard no news of this!" Behind the woman down the hall two faces appeared. The first was a young blond woman who bore a definite resemblance to her Fitzwilliam cousins. Right behind her and entirely too close to the young woman was a very handsome man of about eight or nine and twenty.

Elizabeth took the initiative again and smiled pleasantly at the young lady, "Miss Darcy! How very nice to finally meet you. Kitty and Jane have told me so much about you that I already feel like we are the closest of friends."

The girl smiled shyly, "Are you Miss Elizabeth Bennet?"

"I am. It is so nice..."

"Stop this at once!" Mrs. Younge was becoming shrill now, "You have no right to intrude in this house and intrude on our dinner. I must insist that you leave right this instant!"

Elizabeth regarded the woman with icy cold eyes, "Mrs. Younge, I am afraid that you will have to discuss _that _with Lady Catherine de Bourgh. We were enjoying a cozy lunch when we received a letter from Ramsgate. The next thing I know, we are speeding down the road toward this location. Then her ladyship insists upon stopping at Lord so and so's house... I forget his name but she told me that that he is the local magistrate, and she sends me on with clear instructions to make myself known to Miss Darcy. She was talking about having someone arrested, drawn, and quartered. Now, _you _may suppose yourself to be in a position to thwart her ladyship's designs, but I certainly know better." Elizabeth leaned forward and in a stage-whisper added, "She scares me."

Her speech had its intended effect on three persons. Georgiana Darcy's eyes went wide and she came close to Elizabeth as if seeking comfort. George Wickham's eyes also went wide, but his face turned ashen, as did that of Mrs. Younge. The man pushed Georgiana aside, slamming her into the wall as he beat a hasty retreat out the front door. Mrs. Younge squawked like a disturbed rooster and ran after the man down the street, crying out his name.

Elizabeth and June, her lady's maid, reached for a distraught Georgiana who couldn't seem to choose between chasing after the man herself or clinging to Elizabeth. Elizabeth resolved the issue for her by saying, "Good riddance to bad rubbish. Those two will most likely still be running two counties from here."

"I – I don't understand?" Georgiana said meekly.

Elizabeth took the girl's hands into her own and looked into her eyes, "You, my dear, have obviously been the victim of a swindle. I do not know all of the details, but what I do know is that George Wickham is a known seducer. What his other vices are I can only guess."

"But... but he said he loves me! We were supposed to..." Georgiana flushed, suddenly ashamed of what she had been about to say. The fact that George Wickham _and _her governess ran seemed to confirm Miss Bennet's assertions... and the way he had shoved her aside so brutally...

Elizabeth took mercy on her, "Why don't we go into the dining room and sit. If there is still food on the table then I am sure that I and my two servants would appreciate a bite." This spurred the young lady into action, instructing the housekeeper to add settings and ask cook for more food. A meal was sent out to the coachman and his assistant as well.

As they sat, Elizabeth spoke to her footman, "Bob, as soon as you finish, I will need you to ensure that all doors but the front are locked and secured. Then I need you to post yourself at that door. Arrange shifts with the George and Jim if needed. I sincerely doubt that those two will return, but if they do I want them apprehended and secured for the constable. June, I need you to work with the housekeeper to get hot water for baths. After the shock that Miss Darcy has had sets in, a hot bath will help."

They ate silently and without haste. When the two servants went about their tasks, Elizabeth turned her attention to Georgiana, who had slowly sunk into herself during the short repast. "Miss Darcy, is there a room where the two of us could speak in comfort and privacy?"

"What about Lady Catherine?"

"Oh, she should be arriving in London at the moment... I might have prevaricated a little on that score. Even with Bob, George, and Jim who are all stout fellows, I wanted to avoid an altercation which might draw further unwanted attention down on you." Elizabeth paused and then reached for the girl's hands, "I am sorry to inform you, but your cousin, Lord Timothy, has passed away."

Georgiana's eyes grew wide, but instead of crying she shivered. Hanging her head she admitted, "He always frightened me. Andrew and Richard are the best of cousins, but Timothy..."

"I know. Trust me, with Jane as my sister, I know."

"Why? What happened to Miss Bennet?" Georgiana looked both bewildered and worried.

It was Elizabeth's turn to be surprised. She felt flustered, but then irritated at Mr. Darcy. She could understand his desire to protect his sister's innocence, but to take it this far..., "May I call you Georgiana?"

Georgiana nodded. Elizabeth smiled, "You may call me Elizabeth or Lizzy, as I am certain that you heard from Kitty. Georgiana, about two months ago, Lord Timothy Fitzwilliam attacked Jane in Lady Miriam's home. She fought back ferociously and while they were struggling, Kitty grabbed the nearest thing she could find: a little pot of boiling hot oil. She poured this over your cousin and it ended the fight. I knew that you were sick with a fever for much of this time, but I was not aware that you had not been told."

The girl pouted, "William never tells me anything. Lately he does not even want to speak to me or write to me. He has not answered a single one of my letters for over a month!"

Elizabeth frowned, "Georgiana, your brother has been writing to you at least two or three times a week since you've been gone." When the girl tried to deny this, Elizabeth said, "I have sat near him and watched him write two of those letters from Rosings... and he has been receiving letters back, though they have been stilted and so different from your previous correspondence that he was becoming worried. Are you saying that you have not been replying to his letters?"

"I haven't seen a single letter!"

"And may I ask, have you been receiving letters from Kitty?"

"No! Nobody has sent me anything!"

By this time June had returned to inform the ladies that baths were ready. Elizabeth instructed, "June, please have the housekeeper..." Georgiana furnished her name, "Mrs. Chambers show you where Mrs. Younge's room is. Search the room and have everything secured. Please do not let anyone else touch it for now." The maid nodded and went off to complete her task. Elizabeth turned back to Georgiana and said, "Dear, I am afraid that your companion must have been keeping your mail from you and forging letters in reply to your brother. We shall have to see what June discovers."

She stood and said, "For now I require a bath. Suppose that we both take care of that and then, if you are up to any more conversation, we will speak further in your bedchamber."

"Together?" Georgiana asked, confused.

"Why certainly! Haven't you ever had a friend over and shared a bed? Sisters do this all of the time. Some of the best conversations I have ever had with my sisters were when we were supposed to be sleeping."

oOo

Just as Elizabeth had feared, the full weight of what had almost happened reached Georgiana's understanding once she was alone. Elizabeth had hurried through her own bath and rushed over to check on the girl, finding her shivering and crying in her bath. The younger girl was actually taller than Elizabeth, but she still managed to lift the girl mostly out of the tub so that she and June could help her get dry and dressed. Then Elizabeth crawled into bed with the girl and held her. They talked for a long while until she fell into a troubled sleep.

It was dawn when Elizabeth, who was enjoying a hot cup of tea, heard horse hooves and then pounding on the front door. The door was quickly opened to admit Fitzwilliam Darcy, "Where is she?!"

"Upstairs, safe and asleep," Elizabeth moved to block his path, "And if you rush up there to wake her I will personally horse whip you."

"What!?"

"You heard me, Fitzwilliam Darcy," Elizabeth declared calmly, though there was ice in her voice, "You need not fear, your adversary has fled, as did his accomplice. Of course neither of them would have been able to make any headway if _you _had ever bothered to tell your sister about George Wickham in the first place. He had her almost convinced to elope."

"He... elope... I will kill him... but Georgiana should know better..."

"How, exactly, should she _know better,_ Mr. Darcy? Have you spoken to her as a young woman? Have you acquainted her with the dangers involved between young women and men?"

"I... but she is too young for me to speak with her about those things," he was becoming angry again. How dare this... this person lecture him?

Elizabeth sensed that she was pushing too hard and softened her tone, "Mr. Darcy, men and women are just the same in that respect. Answer me honestly: when did you first begin becoming aware of girls and women as something more than people. When did you first feel the pull of attraction?"

Her soothing tone helped and Darcy took a seat. As usual his eyes and heart fixed on this woman in front of him, "I suppose between two and ten and three and ten."

"That is probably usual. Girls begin to notice even younger, mostly because our mama's begin to place strictures on us to behave differently than boys. This means that from that point on, the danger begins. We all know there is a mysterious difference, but we do not know exactly what that means. Society place all manner of rules in place for us, but never explains the reasons. They expect the rules to protect us, but the rules only make us curious. Mr. Darcy, your sister knew that she was having wonderful feelings of attraction to a man, but she was not properly prepared to control those feelings. Couple that with the very heady concept that a man full-grown was attracted to her and she was well in over her head.

"From what little I know about George Wickham, the only thing that saved your sister's virtue is that he probably thought he would reap a greater reward by leaving her untouched." Darcy's jaw muscles bunched in a murderous rage, yet quickly subsided with the knowledge that his dear sister was sleeping safely above-stairs.

"How do you know anything about George Wickham?" Darcy asked suspiciously.

Elizabeth sighed rather than taking offense and extracted Penelope's letter from her dress pocket. She slid it across the table and watched him read. "Dear Lord, they had it all planned in detail. She has been seen walking alone with him regularly. Why did she never write anything about it to me?"

"Mr. Darcy, she wrote to you regularly and received no letters in reply. The letters you read were not even from her." When Darcy requested clarification, Elizabeth explained about Mrs. Younge's room. "She had her own lock put on the door. Mrs. Chamber's keys would not work on the lock. Thankfully Bob has a little skill in this area... I have chosen not to ask further about this... and was able to pick the lock." Elizabeth gestured over to a trestle table with a woman's valise and several stacks of documents.

"The valise contains articles of Mrs. Younge's clothing and several items of jewelry which I suspect that your sister has not yet missed. The first stack of papers are your letters and those from others, such as my sister Kitty. For some reason she retained these, perhaps as blackmail fodder, since they do make mention of Jane and your cousin several times... and _that _is another issue I would like to address with you, but not just yet... The second stack is letters from Georgiana which she wrote and _thought _were sent. Mrs. Younge retained these and used them to practice forging your sister's hand. They also hold personal details of Mr. Wickham's _courtship_, which might have also proven scandalous.

"The third group is especially interesting. Those are letters to people in London, Bath, Brighton, and other prominent places describing your sister's elopement with George Wickham. I do not quite understand the purpose of those, but they were not yet sent."

Darcy thumbed through the third stack and grimaced, "I know a few of these names. These are all notable gossips. They intended to spread the news as far and wide as possible so that we could not refuse the marriage or force an annulment."

"That does make some sense. You sister is the victim of a well thought out scheme. Did you know that Mrs. Younge has been steadily poisoning your sister against you since she was first employed? I was able to dispel many of the woman's lies, but you, Sir, will have to spend a great deal of devoted time with your sister to regain her trust. I know that you are a very busy man, but from what she tells me you have barely spent any time with her for many months now."

Darcy sat again and slumped, "I do wish to spend more time with her, but estate matters constantly demand my time. It seems overwhelming and unending at times."

"Then take her with you, William," Elizabeth was shocked at her slip, but Darcy was too lost in his own misery and guilt to notice that she had used his given name. "Make her a part of the process. And _do not _tell me that she cannot have an interest in such matters. You know me too well. Besides, the respect you show her by including her will go a great way toward healing the wounds. My best times spent with my father was when we rode our lands and visited the tenants. It made me feel important that he included me in his work."

Darcy wanted to propose to this wonderful woman that very moment, but he knew that the time was wrong. This time belonged to his sister. He nodded, "It was the same with me and my father. I should have thought of that with Georgie. Thank you, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. You cannot know how grateful I am that you were here to save Georgiana."

Their teas were forgotten for several long minutes as they became lost in each other's eyes. Many unspoken messages passed between them before Georgiana's appearance below-stairs broke them out of their moment. "Brother!" Georgiana called out as she rushed into Darcy's arms. As he held his crying sister, Darcy's eyes thanked Elizabeth one more time.

oOo

It was early afternoon when Elizabeth hugged Georgiana one final time and then boarded her carriage for her return to Rosings. Darcy's own carriage had arrived late in the morning. It had been dispatched from London as soon as there was enough light to travel by. It would now take the Darcy siblings to London and then on to Pemberley where Darcy intended to devote as much time as possible to healing his bond with Georgiana.

As the second carriage left Ramsgate, Darcy could not help be regret the fact that a certain impertinent young woman was not with them.

oOo

Mrs. Younge... who was actually Doris Donovan, and George Wickham had barely made it to the bowels of London when they heard of the death of Lord Timothy Fitzwilliam, Viscount Townbridge. In one of several articles on the subject, the pair learned that Lady Catherine de Bourgh was among the mourners currently in London.

The swindlers had been swindled. Mrs. Younge wanted to wash her hands of the whole matter. George Wickham was enraged at being fooled by that wisp of a woman. He wanted revenge.

oOo

Elizabeth returned to Rosings and to her practices and studies. It had been her express desire to _not _have an elaborate coming out in London until she had attained a certain level of accomplishments. In reality that had merely been a dodge in order to delay such matters indefinitely. Now that her older sister was married, however, Lady Catherine was adamant.

So while Darcy and Georgiana learned how to communicate as two adults and Jane set about learning how to be Lady Fitzwilliam, the wife of a peer, Elizabeth began her training on how to make her bow and function in London's high society.

When Lady Catherine had returned to Rosings, the house had been put into mourning, but the lady refused to hand black drapes and darken the house as she had after her dear Anne's passing. A mourning wreath was hung on the door and visits were curtailed, but otherwise life went on as usual.

oOo

It was late August when word reached Rosings that Mrs. Bennet was missing. Mr. Bennet had dispatched letters to each of his daughters warning them to expect their mother at any moment, as she had quite unexpectedly left Longbourn and was now at large somewhere in England.

It was only two weeks later that word came that Mr. Thomas Bennet had been arrested for the brutal murder of his wife, Mrs. Frances Bennet, nee Gardiner.

oOo

_**Author's Notes: **Okay, another twist in the tale. Although Mr. Bennet might have wanted to murder his wife from time to time, he asserts his innocence. But if not him, then who might have done the deed?_


	15. Relative Justice

**Notes:** _To the guest reviewer who has expressed so much disappointment in me, I will only say that my story began with the second half of this tale, and then the previous portion came later. not the other way around. I hope that the readers will not be disappointed and will give me the benefit of the doubt until the very end. There are rocks ahead, but there is a safe harbor waiting._

**Chapter Fifteen – Relative Justice**

Fifty miles of good road never seemed so endless or grueling. Elizabeth was so fidgety that Lady Catherine was on her last nerves riding with the girl. She was never one to hold back on criticism, but forced herself to remain silent with her distraught ward. Instead she moved herself to Elizabeth's side of the carriage and pulled the girl close.

They rolled into Longbourn's drive and right into the middle of a conflict. Two men were scuffling while Mr. Hill was picking himself up off of the ground. The two fighting men, one of whom was Mr. Collins were grappling. Elizabeth vaguely recognized the second man as Percy Griffin, her father's new steward. Both men were struggling for advantage, but Griffin was calm while Collins was shouting vile language and promising to "sack every last one of you!"

Lady Catherine was shocked at the man's language and ordered her footmen to, "Secure that ruffian and clap something over his foul mouth!" Even as the two large men grabbed Collins' arms, Mrs. Hill rushed out with Cook's larges frying pan and a look of determined rage. Seeing her husband's attacker restrained, she almost struck him a blow anyway, but stopped when she saw Elizabeth. "Miss Lizzy! I am so glad that you are here! This... this... creature has been trying to move himself into Longbourn for the past 'alf hour. He struck my Jim!"

"It is mine! I am Master now! Every one of you is sacked!" Collins twisted fruitlessly in the footmen's grasp and then saw Elizabeth, "Come here now, Wife! I am the Master of Longbourn now and your father's heir, so all of his legal responsibilities fall to me! That means that you are _my ward now, _and I say that you _must marry me!_"

Lady Catherine saw Elizabeth eyeing the frying pan still dangling from Mrs. Hill's hand and spoke up to forestall any further violence, "_Mister _Collins, that is ENOUGH! Mr. Bennet may have been arrested, but he has not been convicted and never shall be. He is still the legal owner of this property and you, SIR, are trespassing!"

Before more could be said, Billy Hill and the constable, Mr. Budge, rode up the drive. Budge was not the most impressive of men but he was large and very aware of his authority, "See here! What is this all about?"

"They are on _my property_!" Collins screamed, "Arrest them all right this minute and make them vacate the premises... except for _my wife!_"

Elizabeth's eyes went to Lady Catherine, then to the pan, and then back to Lady Catherine with a pleading look.

Mr. Griffin spoke up, "Mr. Budge, this man is the heir presumptive of Longbourn, which he may inherit _only after _Mr. Bennet is deceased. He is attempting to lay claim to the property now and has resorted to violence in when he would not listen to reason."

"He attacked my husband, that evil man did!" Mrs. Hill exclaimed, finally dropping the pan and rushing over to her husband who was still sitting, unable to rise. Blood was streaming from a cut to Jim Hill's head where he had struck the graveled drive. The elderly butler was also beginning to sport a black eye.

Collins had not once stopped his diatribe while Budge was looking about. Now the constable turned to the cursing man, "BE SILENT!" Whether in response to the constable's order or the fact that her ladyship's footman had wrenched the man's arms behind his back, Collins finally went silent.

Budge nodded in satisfaction, "I kin arrest him now for assault, but after he pays the fine I won' be able to keep him fer long."

It was her ladyship's coachman who offered a solution, "Constable, if I am not wrong, that there is a horse and buggy from the Hunsford livery in Kent. I hear tell that one such as that was leased for a day goin' on three or four weeks ago and ne'er returned. Mr. Paulson, that's the owner of the livery, 'as been very upset about the matter. He described the gent who stole it an' if I am not mistaken, it's this fellow."

"I did not steal anything! I have every intention of returning that run-down trap as soon as I have access to _my funds from MY ESTATE!_" Collins screamed, as much from anger as from the pain in his shoulders.

Budge nodded, "Well, that is a horse of a different color, I say." He turned to Lady Catherine, "Might I borrow your two gents there and your carriage for a short trip to my establishment?"

"Certainly, Constable. I am known for my advocacy of justice. And with that in mind, we will be visiting your _establishment _later today to speak with Mr. Bennet." Budge nodded in agreement and signaled for Collins to be loaded. Lady Catherine watched in satisfaction as the screaming and cursing man was dragged into the carriage and driven away.

Elizabeth and Mrs. Hill were on their knees ministering to Mr. Hill's head. Mr. Griffin came behind the butler to aid Billy Hill in lifting Hill to his feet. After the elderly man was standing, Lady Catherine forestalled the young man from following, "Young man, could you ride back into Meryton to ask for the local doctor?" Billy nodded vigorously, quickly re-mounted and rode away.

Mr. Jones was the local apothacary and the closest approximation to a doctor for miles. He arrived within twenty minutes. After a thorough examination, he pronounced, "Mr. Hill will be bruised for a while, but he will recover. I recommend keeping him in bed for at least the next three days. The scratch to his forehead is no more than that, but the punch to his eye is slightly worrisome. Jim's eye may be swollen for a while. I will return later this evening to check again. Until then, give him more laudanum if he wakes up and is in pain."

Once Mr. Jones departed, Lady Catherine and Elizabeth were able to finally ask about the purported murder and arrest. Mrs. Hill gave her account first, "Your mother and father have been arguin' and carrying on ever since Miss Lydia was sent off to school. At first Mrs. Bennet was goin' off to her room and usin' up the smellin' salts. Later, though, she started walkin' around all furtive like. She always talked a bunch, your mother did, but just before she left, she was'n sayin' nothin'.

"Then, on August twenty, she sends me off with an order from the butcher and grocer, an' soon after sends Sally to pick up a dress from Mrs. Talbott's shop. Only, Sally sees me on the street an' tells me there is no dress. I thought Mrs. Bennet must've been confused, so I had Sally help me carry my purchases home. When we got there, your mother was gone. All her dresses and jewelry and personals are gone and she is as well.

"When Mr. Bennet comes home with my husband and Mr. Griffin from picking up a plow in St. Albans, I told him. He just grunts and says, "I better warn the girls." An' then he goes off to his book room. A few minutes later he comes out again an' announces that 'is wife broke into his money box an' took wot he had there. He didn' say 'ow much, but tol' us to be careful with spending until he tells us other. Y'see, he only collected the rents two days previous, an' he always goes to London soon after."

"Did he search for my mother?" Elizabeth asked.

"He went into Meryton to ask after her at Mrs. Phillips house, but she lambasted him for all the things Mrs. Bennet accused him of and said she didn' know where her sister mighta gone. She said he was lyin' about the money too. Then he came home and didn' look no further except to post some letters to all of you."

Elizabeth and Lady Catherine shared a look, both disgusted with the behaviors of the Bennet parents. Lady Catherine asked, "What happened next?"

"Nothing for weeks except Mrs. Phillips goin' on and on in town about how sorry Mr. Bennet treated his wife. Then Albert Jakes, Mr. Phillip's clerk, was walkin' up Oakham Mount and found the shawl and the stone. E' goes to the constable and the constable shows it to me. It was Mrs. Bennet's shawl for sure, the one she snagged some time back going down the stairs. It had blood on it and so did the rock. Soon everyone was talkin' about it.

"Nex' thing we know, the magistrate and Budge ride up with a wagon and arrest your father."

Elizabeth had to get up and pace while her brain tried to process the information. Several things did not make sense, but the past hours had been so stressful that she couldn't muddle through. Lady Catherine recognized this and ordered the girl to bed. "Get some rest. We will see what we can learn further _after _we sleep."

oOo

The first warning that anyone at Livingston House had that something was wrong was when Kitty collapsed to the floor, pulling several dished off the table to shatter around her as she fought to breath.

Kitty Bennet had blossomed well under the tutelage of Lady Miriam and had adapted many of her traits. One of the traits she had learned from that worthy woman was a desire to keep up on what was happening in England and the world, not just what took place in the gossip columns. Unfortunately, on that morning she was the first to rise and to open the Times.

Under the gentle care of her sister Mary, Lady Miriam, and Doctor MacDonald, Kitty had gone several months without a single asthma attack. Reading of the murder of her mother and the arrest of her father in the morning news put an end to that long reprieve. Lady Miriam and Jane had both risen and were making their way to the breakfast room when they heard the crash. They found Kitty on the floor, hyperventilating and clutching at her throat. They spent the next ten minutes trying to calm the girl using all of the methods that Doctor MacDonald and Jane had taught them. Kitty eventually passed out, but that was the blessing that saved her.

Doctor Ian MacDonald surprised everyone at Livingston house when he appeared only five minutes after a rider had been sent to summon him. He had also read the morning paper and his first thoughts had been for Kitty. It was he who informed Lady Miriam and Mary concerning the news, but only after he examined his patient and saw to her comfort. Even though Kitty was sedated and resting, Doctor MacDonald remained at Livingston House for the remainder of the day and night.

oOo

It was mid-afternoon before Elizabeth and Lady Catherine were allowed to see Mr. Bennet. He limped painfully into the room set aside for such visits. Elizabeth had to help him to sit.

"Well, Lizzy, look at your father now. It seems that Fanny has managed her revenge after all," he said with a smirk.

"Papa, this hardly seems like the time to make jokes. Can you tell me what _exactly _happened?"

"Nothing happened. Your mother left, which made Longbourn a blessedly quiet place except for people stopping in in search of something to gossip about, with your aunt crying foul all over Hertfordshire. Then the Budge and Turnbull show up to arrest me. They won't even collect the books I requested from my library!"

"Father! I do not care about your books! I am asking about Mother. Do you have _any _idea of what may have happened to her?"

Mr. Bennet became cross, "See here, Lizzy. I am still your father and you will speak to me properly!"

"Mr. Bennet," Lady Catherine interrupted, "We are here to discover the whereabouts of your wife. If she is still alive, then you will be a free man. Elizabeth and I have noted some issues with what we have heard thus far. I am most attentive to these things and we both agree that the details do not add up properly."

"What details?" Mr. Bennet requested grudgingly.

Elizabeth answered, "The shawl. Mr. Jakes. The money. Aunt Phillips. The location of the supposed murder. And Mr. Collins."

Mr. Bennet closed his eyes and thought on this. Finally he sighed, which caused him to cough, "I apologize for being missish. I have slept for two nights on a horrible cot in a stone room which is unbearably hot by day and cold at night. My hip and leg are throbbing and I am congested. Please forgive me Lizzy-girl, Lady Catherine." They nodded and Elizabeth took his hand. He continued, "I am afraid that my senses are fogged. Could you please elucidate on these details?"

"To my knowledge, Mr. Jakes has never walked further than from my uncle's office, his rooms above Mr. Jones' office, and the White Horse for a drink. Why would he be ascending Oakham Mount?

"Next is the shawl. Mrs. Hill said that the bloody shawl was the same one that snagged and ripped on the stairwell rail almost a year ago. I recall Mary writing about the great to-do Mama raised about that incident. If it was still ripped then why would Mama be wearing it out? You and I both know how she is about her clothing."

Mr. Bennet chuckled and then said, "You are speaking as if your mother is not dead?"

"Of course. They have found no body and the facts do not work. The next issue is the money. Was it _all _the rents for this quarter?"

Mr. Bennet grimaced, "Less your mother's accounts at the draper, the dressmaker, the butcher, the baker, the grocer, and the haberdasher."

"So somewhere around four-hundred to five-hundred pounds? Papa I wish that you would have listened to Uncle Phillips about depositing the money in the local bank. Papa, with four to five hundred, she could go anywhere."

"Mr. Lowery, the banker, and I have never gotten on well, Lizzy. I will _not _trust him with Longbourn's accounts... "Of course that does not appear to be a problem now. As to Fanny and the funds, she will have it all spent in a month if nobody is there to prevent it." He coughed again, "And what about my loving sister-in-law?"

"Mama and Aunt Phillips have always been as thick as thieves, Papa. They have no secrets between them. She has to know where Mama went, yet she is stomping around town raising a fuss as if you had done something to her. Has she visited Longbourn even once to look over Mama's rooms to prove to herself that Mama packed up?"

"No, now that you mention it. I was so grateful to not hear from the old hen that I never thought to miss her visits. Truthfully I have been waiting news from you concerning your mother's visit. I expected that she would visit you to rail at you or Lydia's school in London to demand her return. When neither happened, I just decided to wait and see."

Once again Lady Catherine and Elizabeth shared a disgusted look. Mr. Bennet promted, "And what of the illustrious Mr. Collins. I haven't heard from him since he showed up on my doorstep this summer asking after you."

"What?" Lady Catherine and Elizabeth exclaimed. It was the lady who demanded, "When did that fool present himself?"

"Let me see... I believe that it was early August. He seemed to think that you had made a journey here and he had the audacity to demand that his 'betrothed' present herself to him. I had him escorted off the property. Your mother was livid. She claimed that I was determined to see her living in the hedgerows after my much-anticipated demise." He chuckled and coughed.

The two ladies did not laugh. It had been the beginning of August when Elizabeth made her unscheduled trip to Ramsgate. Had he been watching her?

"Well, when we reached Longbourn around noon today he was attempting to insert himself into 'his' estate. He attacked poor Mr. Hill and was struggling with Mr. Griffin. The constable was called and Mr. Collins was arrested, but only after we learned that the man had stolen his cart and horse from Kent. He is actually locked up in this building, Papa."

After leaving the constable's office the pair were driven over to the magistrate's estate where they tried to reason with him, but he had little time to give to a woman, even the daughter and sister of a peer. In the end Elizabeth had to almost drag Lady Catherine away before she could attack the man.

oOo

Mr. and Miss Darcy were at the Matlock estate visiting when the Times was delivered. As a prominent and active member of Parliament, the Earl was on a select list of those who must receive news quickly. Just before the turn of the century, the Times had implemented a rush delivery system where the newspapers traveled with the daily post carriages to destinations all throughout Great Britain. It still took almost two days for the relevant newspaper to reach the Matlock estate. Darcy was one of the few early risers in the family and therefore the first to read the article.

Within two hours he, his sister, and Lord and Lady Townbridge were on the road south toward Meryton.

oOo

_**Author's Notes: **I have read extensively over the past month over anything that I could find about the justice system in England at that time period. It is no wonder that the U.S. Constitutional Conventions made such an issue about their system. It was a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of an English court. Unless you were rich and connected, once you went in you might never get out, innocent or not. Without forensics to prove certain things, you were truly guilty unless proven innocent (meaning the right money changed in the right hands) There were honest judges, but there were just as many dishonest ones, or at least ones with negotiable morals._


	16. Relative Justice, Part Two

_**Notes: **I am once again unable to read my reviews, so if there is a review which requires a response, I apologize. Is the fanfiction server over-worked?_

_Since writing the last I am now able to read them again, though it took four days. I am hoping that these constant problems are not indicative of a future server failure. Is the FF site becoming overloaded?_

_Please enjoy this next installment._

**Chapter Sixteen – Relative Justice, Part Two**

A truly competent express rider knew to keep his eyes wide open and his ears to the ground. Matthew Piper prided himself on being just such a man. Raised to work with his father, the head groom in a minor baron's stables, Matthew wanted more. He had a good seat and a love for horses and fast riding. He also wanted to see the world, not just the out-of-the-way estate on which he was born.

Matthew knew that the only way he would change his life's direction would be to gather information, so when an express rider galloped onto the estate with an urgent message when Matthew was thirteen, the boy made it a point to speak with the young man. In the next fifteen minutes while the rider waited for the response he would speed back to London, Matthew asked innumerable questions. The rider was amused and rather pleased to be looked up to, so he told the boy everything he wanted to know and even added a little information.

John Piper was not happy when his son announced his decision to strike out on his own, but he had seen the boy's wanderlust growing. When Matthew turned sixteen his father gifted him with a decent horse that he had saved up to purchase. The Baron, a kindly elderly gentleman, gave him a letter of recommendation and a set of leather saddlebags.

It did not take long for Matthew to learn that postal riding was not the romantic adventure that he had first believed. Though much had been done to make the roads safer, there was always the danger of highwaymen. Since a postal rider was of little consequence, these robbers might think little of killing the boy rather than taking the risk of being identified. The weather was also a problem. Matthew had faced lightning, flooding, fog, ice, and hail. On one occasion he and his horse had slipped into a ravine when half of the road simply collapsed.

The riders themselves also often had the worst of reputations. Many were drunks and gamblers. Some even tried their own hands at highway robbery when the opportunity presented itself. But Matthew lived by the strict moral code his father had taught him. By his second year, his reputation for reliability had grown to the point where his services were often specifically requested when a message was urgent and delivery was vital.

Matthew had been an express rider for the past five years. Few postal riders continued in that trade past twenty. He knew this and was exploring other opportunities when the Whig Postmaster himself, Lord Thomas Pelham, Earl of Chichester, requested his presence in London. Lord Pelham informed Matthew that he intended to reform the postal service and that his reforms would begin with the postal-boys. Matthew's name had come to the forefront in more than one report and the Earl wanted him to lead that reform. Matthew was dumbfounded but also pleased.

Of course nothing happened quickly in Parliament, and the current postal system had _two _postal masters, one Whig and one Tory. "I will be needing to push my reforms through Lord Montagu's intransigence before I can make any of this happen, Matthew, so for now I want you to take up your post here in London until such time as I can make this happen."

Matthew had no idea what "intransigence" was, but it did not sound good. For the past four months he had been primarily posted in Greenwich while he waited further orders from above. It was therefore Matthew Piper who carried the express from Livingston House to Longbourn in little Meryton. He made it a habit not to pay _too _much attention to ladies who were above his station, but he was struck by the beautiful eyes of the young woman who read that first express.

Before he could depart another older woman, this one less attractive and more officious, demanded that he wait while she prepared another message, this one to be sent further north. Matthew might have balked, but the pretty one looked at him pleadingly and said, "I realize that we should go through the local post-master, but this is rather urgent. We would appreciate your help."

The older lady did not seem especially appreciative, but Matthew consented. Twenty minutes later he was riding north toward the Earl of Matlock's estate in Derbyshire. His own trek would only carry him as far as Stevenage, where his burden would be passed on, but he never finished that journey. One of the matters that Matthew prided himself on was his memory. In his five years of riding he had made many deliveries and many had been to prominent personages. He made a study of family crests for no other reason than he found them interesting... and this included the Matlock crest which he happened to ride by seven miles after Garden City.

The coachman regarded him warily and one of the footman was already holding a pistol when Matthew rode back and waved the carriage to a halt. A second carriage, this one bearing the Darcy crest, pulled to a stop behind the first and more arms were visible. "I apologize for delaying you, Sirs, but I bear an express for Lord and Lady Townbridge. Might they be in your carriage or should I ride on towards Matlock?"

A deep voice from the carriage answered, "I am Lord Townbridge." The tall man reached out for the message and signaled for the coachman to pay Matthew. Then the man called out, "Unless you bear other urgent messages, I wish you to wait your departure until I have read this."

"Certainly, my Lord," was truly all that Matthew could reply. It was a fair day and his horse was winded, so he walked the beast to a nearby stream while the man read. Matthew's own mind was quite taken with the fair haired beauty dressed in black he had seen inside the carriage. She bore a noteworthy resemblance to the other young woman he had met earlier in the day at Longbourn. Matthew could not help but feel that the world was a remarkable place indeed to have two such pretty young women in it.

Darcy walked up from his carriage as Andrew read, "More trouble?"

"Our aunt writes that she and Elizabeth have suspicions concerning Mrs. Bennet's actual condition." He reached over to cover Jane's kneading hands. "It seems that the facts do not line up with the story. There is no body and the circumstances make it nigh impossible that Mr. Bennet could have committed the act he is accused of... but the local magistrate is uninterested in their assertions."

Darcy barked a harsh laugh, "I am sure _that _did not go over well. What does she ask of us?"

"Wait one..." he read further and tensed. Looking up at Jane he said, "Dear... Kitty has suffered another attack... most likely brought on by this news. Lady Catherine did not have further information, but she did suggest that you could do little in Meryton to advance the situation..."

Darcy interjected, "I do not see any value in having Georgiana there either. My carriage could transport her on to Greenwich... and you as well, Lady Townbridge, should you so desire?"

Jane nodded stiffly. This entire matter had discomfited her to the point that she feared the need to call for salts like her mother would have done. To go from the horror of the attack to the bliss of her wedding and honeymoon to the burden of becoming a viscountess and now this... it was all so overwhelming. "I shall go to Kitty. Georgiana would be more than welcome, Mr. Darcy. I know that Kitty misses her very much."

While the footmen took on the task of transferring luggage, the men conferred. The end result of this was that Matthew was soon summoned to deliver another urgent message, this time to a location that made his eyebrows raise. With his horse rested and ready, the express rider was soon on the road heading south towards London and the Lord Chancellor himself.

oOo

Kitty woke from her laudanum-laced slumber with an aching chest, stiff, sore limbs, a cotton-mouth, and fuzzy senses... yet all of that was quickly forgotten when another and more pleasant sensation intruded on her senses. Her hand was being held, not by one of her sisters, but by a large _male _hand... She opened her eyes slowly carefully, lest reality not match her dream, She had to blink several times to clear away the haziness, but then her eyes were wide open and adoring.

Ian MacDonald had remained at Livingston house all night. Miss Catherine Bennet had never before suffered such a serious attack and he had found himself unable to leave. In fact, his first impulse upon reading the horrible story and speculation in the Times has been to speed from his office to Kitty's doorstep. When he found his worst fears confirmed, he had immediately taken charge and began seeing to the young lady's care personally.

As a doctor, he was one of the only males who could cite a reasonable excuse for being by a single young woman's bedside. The household must have agreed, because nobody balked when he even took his evening meal in her room rather than with everyone else in the dining room. Naturally one or another maid had always been present as well, and Mary and Lady Miriam had devoted hours to Kitty's care. But other than short stints to the necessary and to write instructions to be sent to his office and the apothecary, Dr. MacDonald had not left the room.

He had thought himself heartbroken when Miss Jane Bennet had chosen Lord Andrew over him, but recovered so swiftly that he recognized his feelings as infatuation. As he kept vigil over Catherine Bennet that night, he slowly came to realize that she meant much more to him than as just another patient. Yet she was only just turned seventeen and he was nine and twenty! Such an attachment was ridiculous! Nevertheless, beside her bedside he remained. At some point as exhaustion took him, his large hands took possession of her slender little hands.

When Ian MacDonald woke, his eyes opened to meet Kitty's loving expression. No words were spoken for a long minute before he recalled himself to his senses and asked, "How do you feel, Miss Catherine?" One hand lifted and laid gently upon the young lady's forehead. Her eyes closed for a moment in bliss and opened again as dark pools.

Voices from the hall snapped them out of their reveries and the doctor suddenly stood, uncertain of what to do. Lady Miriam provided the answer for him, "Doctor, why don't we allow Mary to see to her sister for a spell while you and I share a cup of tea? I have a feeling that we need to have a conversation."

oOo

Elizabeth was pacing the garden, oblivious to her surroundings, when Fitzwilliam Darcy suddenly appeared before her. Elizabeth stifled a cry and almost threw herself in his arms and then recalled herself. _I almost did something inexcusable! Why does this man have such an effect on me?_

She was quite certain that Mr. Darcy thought very poorly of her. She knew that she was temperamental, quick to judge, strong willed, and impertinent. He certainly could not think well of her after her reaction to his insult at Rosings or the officious dressing down she had given the poor man in Ramsgate. _Besides, a man of his standing would never consider marriage to a woman such as me... wait! Why am I even thinking of such things? Foolish woman!_

Darcy had felt exactly the same impulse, to wrap this small yet formidable woman in his arms. Like her, he restrained himself. He saw a myriad of quickly changing expressions on her face and could not interpret any of them. They had argued almost constantly in Matlock. She had quite clearly been insulted by him at Rosings. And she had most definitely not been impressed by his temper in Ramsgate. _Will I ever do anything that she does approve of? _Clearing his throat he asked, "How do you fare, Miss Bennet?"

Elizabeth hung her head, but then just as quickly drew her shoulders back and raised her eyes to meet his, "I am as well as I can be in these circumstances. My mother has disappeared for nearly three weeks while my father made no effort to locate her. Now he has been jailed for her murder when none of the facts line up with the charges, yet Mr. Turnbull, the local magistrate, will not listen to a word from either Lady Catherine or me. He all but patted my head to send me away "like a good little girl"!"

Darcy was very glad that he was able to wipe the commiserating smirk off of his face before she wheeled on him. Elizabeth tilted her head and looked at him before asking, "Why are you here? Pardon my rudeness, but I just now realized that you should be in Derbyshire with your sister. Is everything well?"

"Georgiana and I were in Matlock with our aunt and cousins when we heard the news. Lord Townbridge is inside speaking with our aunt. Your elder sister and Georgiana detoured to Livingston House and your younger sister. Have you heard aught more about her?"

Elizabeth sighed, "No. Not yet. It feels as if my entire family is falling apart."

Darcy could not hug her to him as he wished, but he could and did offer her an arm. Both felt an electric feel when she tucked her hand around his arm. Neither was aware that the other felt the same sensation. "Come, Miss Bennet. We should step inside and see what actions may be taken to resolve this matter."

Darcy and Elizabeth walked in to hear Lady Catherine speaking in a loud and quite put-out voice at the mere _idea _that Mr. Turnbull, "that poor excuse for a country magistrate," had the audacity to speak with condescension to the daughter of an earl! Elizabeth walked over to the angry woman and laid a gentle hand on Lady Catherine's shoulder. Both Darcy and Andrew were surprised at how easily the slender young woman seemed to calm the woman who had terrified them both as children.

Now calmer, Lady Catherine was able to describe the incidents of the previous day. Upon hearing of Mr. Collins, Andrew asked, "Is there any chance that Mr. Collins committed the murder?"

Elizabeth winced, but answered in a forthright manner, "If I believed that a murder had taken place, then I might suspect him. He was certainly quick enough to harm old Mr. Hill and he would have harmed Mr. Griffin if he could have. But everything I hear fails to add up to murder."

Neither man knew what to believe, so they resolved to conduct their own investigations.

"I do not like it that he continues to stake a claim to Miss Bennet's hand," Darcy growled, unaware that his words and expression communicated quite a bit to two of the three people sitting in the room. The third, Elizabeth, continued to be blind, but she had experienced a certain thrill over his concern.

oOo

Matthew Piper was on the road to Meryton again on the following morning with expresses from Lord John Scott, Baron Eldon, the Lord Chancellor. Matthew had been instructed to return in the morning after his previous delivery. In between times, he had read the Times and heard the gossip. He recognized the name "Longbourn" immediately. It had set him back to learn that he was most likely carrying messages concerned specifically with the now famous murder.

It was the first time that he had knowingly been involved in a major event. Oh, he had speculated many times about the contents of the important mail he might be delivering, but he never _knew_. Unlike some of his corrupt colleagues, he _could _read, but he _would not _pry. After the postal blackmail case of 1808, he was careful to handle his letters so that there was not even the _suggestion _that they might have been tampered with.

And now he was carrying messages from the highest court back to Longbourn and Mertyton! For once he wished that he could read the contents. The Lord Chancellor had commissioned him to deliver two messages, the first to a Mr. Turnbull and the second to Longbourn. London to Meryton was around twenty miles. He made the journey in just over three hours.

Mr. Turnbull took his message, read the name of the sender, and sneered before turning and walking away. The butler followed his master's cue and turned up his nose as the rider. After passing over the required coins, he closed the door on Matthew without a word.

Upon reaching Longbourn Matthew was first met with a woman who wore the garb and keys of a housekeeper. When she greeted him politely, Matthew smiled in return and stated, "I have been told to place this directly into the hands of Lord Townbridge." Without protest or ceremony, Mrs. Hill led the express rider into the sitting room, where Lady Catherine was holding court. All eyes looked up when the express rider entered. He remembered the peer from the carriage delivery on the previous day, so immediately extended the letter.

"Thank you, good man. Please wait while I read this and determine if a reply is needed. Mrs. Hill, would you please see what Cook might have in the way of refreshments for this young man?"

Mrs. Hill replied, "Certainly, My Lord," and led Matthew toward the kitchen. The staff was obviously cleaning up after the morning meal, so Hill sat Matthew in the morning room instead of in the staff room. While Matthew sat and waited, his eyes were drawn to a painting of what must be the Longbourn family. He recognized two of the females in the picture as much younger versions of the fair haired and dark haired beauties that he had already encountered. The other three daughters, though still children, were also quite attractive, though the one who appeared to be the eldest of the three was dressed more plainly than the rest. It was the oldest woman in the portrait who chiefly drew Matthew's eye. Though older and married, she was still very handsome. _It is no wonder that the murder of such a woman might attract much attention. The man in the painting must be Mr. Bennet. He does not seem the type to murder anyone. Still waters run deep, I suppose._

In the sitting room Andrew finished reading and grunted in disgust, "My second-cousin will do what he can to be of assistance, but he warns that Mr. Turnbull may be even more of a problem than we originally feared."

Ignoring Lady Catherine's more vociferous response, Darcy prompted, "How so?"

"Mr. Turnbull was a staunch supporter of Baron Grenville. He was expecting a high court position _and _at very least a knighthood for his support of the coalition government, so when the Tories lost hold Turnbull was more than a little disappointed. He _despises _my cousin, the Lord Chancellor."

Darcy groaned. Elizabeth was just stepping into the room as he said, "And if the magistrate is still hoping for a higher office, then a high-profile case such as this one could be the making of him." Without conscious thought, Darcy's hand reached out and took Elizabeth's. Neither was wearing gloves, so this intimate contact shot a jolt through both. Their hands quickly parted but both colored noticeably.

Andrew's eyebrows raised slightly at what he had seen, but he focused on the matter at hand, "Precisely. The most that Lord John Scott could do for us was to send a letter to Turnbull notifying him that the case was being carefully watched. Even the slightest deviation from proper procedure and my cousin will call the matter before the court of appeals."

Elizabeth sadly stated, "Which means that there is no hope of extracting father from his confinement before the trial."

"We most certainly will not just sit here and allow that man to feather his nest with this family's tragedy, nephews!" Lady Catherine intoned, "Elizabeth and I both agree that Mrs. Bennet is hiding away somewhere. Neither of us believes that _that woman_ is dead. Therefore I require you to conduct a thorough search of this area to root the woman out."

Andrew, Darcy, and Elizabeth shared a look. While all might agree with the facts, they also knew that finding someone who did not wish to be found might prove very difficult indeed.

oOo

_**Author's Notes:** Sorry for the delay in posting. I have spent more time on the road and in the ER waiting room than I have on my computer. Although my entire family is safely back home, matters were touch-and-go for a few days._

_Now you've met Matthew Piper. As many of you know, I began submitting this story months ago and then had a long delay. I have also stated that I had the middle of the story before the beginning. Matthew's character was the catalyst for my "Not so silent service" stories. He will play a major role in future chapters._


	17. The Plot Thickens

_**Notes: **A "guest" reviewer pointed out that Andrew Fitzwilliam would be too young to be a bishop. I have searched everywhere that I could to confirm or deny this, finally resorting to looking at the available personal histories of all of the archbishops. The youngest that any of these men made bishop was forty-three. Therefore I need to go back through the previous chapters and amend my mistake. So thank you to "guest"._

**Chapter Seventeen – The Plot Thickens**

The following morning was a busy one for several people in the local area. Matthew Piper had returned to Greenwich without any return messages only to find that his services were once again required for a trip to Meryton... this time to the constable's office and then back to Longbourn. Matthew saw Mr. Bennet for the first time when he was allowed to hand his express post over to the man under Constable Budge's watchful eye. _He does not seem like a violent man. He just looks old and careworn._

Mr. Bennet requested and was reluctantly granted ink, a pen, and a sheet of foolscap. He was actually smiling when he handed the return message to Matthew. Then it was on to Longbourn for the express rider.

At Longbourn Matthew was blessed with another look at the dark-haired beauty with the pretty eyes. Those eyes took on additional sparkle after reading the message he carried. Her smile followed him all of the way back to Meryton, where the post-master flagged him down to carry a message to Sheerness, in Kent. Normally Matthew would have handed a message for that far away to the next post-rider on the route, but Sheerness was only ten miles from the estate where his father still worked, so he determined to make the trip himself. He rode away from Meryton with a smile on his face, the memory of a beautiful woman in his mind and the anticipation of seeing his father.

Andrew and Darcy's morning was less pleasant. They had attempted to convince Mr. Turnbull that Mr. Bennet was innocent and that, in fact, there might be no crime at all. It quickly became clear that the magistrate had no interest in their words. This crime was already becoming famous and obtaining a conviction would be a feather in the man's cap. Who knew? It might even result in a knighthood. With those ideas in the man's head, reason had little chance of penetrating.

The two men eventually gave up and paid a visit to Mr. Bennet. They found him to be surprisingly relaxed and cheerful. At his request a portion of his library had been delivered to his cell on the previous day. Mr. Bennet set down his copy of Homer and smiled, "Good day, gentlemen. And how are you?"

"We are well, Mr. Bennet," Andrew replied. "You seem chipper this morning."

"Ah yes. It seems that Kitty has recovered and Dr. MacDonald had made her an offer of his hand. A good man. Has been seeing to her care for some time now. Always knew that my Kitty held a tendre for him. Didn't know how he felt about her."

Andrew and Darcy shared a look. Andrew as pleased to know that his former rival for Jane's affections had turned his sights elsewhere. Darcy spoke up, "You have approved the match? She is full young."

"Seventeen. Yes. Well, if I am to hang or visit Von Diemen's land, then it pleases me to think that another of my girls is safely cared for. And you, Mr. Darcy. Am I to suppose that you are looking into my case with nothing but altruistic motives, or had my favorite daughter caught your fancy?"

Andrew chuckled as Darcy blushed and replied, "I will not deny that she has my attention. What may come of it, I cannot say."

"Well, if all works out, you have my blessing. Not that it is of value since I ceded all authority in Lizzie's life to your aunt after my wife tried to marry her off to that buffoon Collins."

"Collins will not trouble anyone for a while, Mr. Bennet. It seems that a constable from Huntsford came and collected the man. They departed first thing this morning. The man will stand trial in Kent for theft of the wagon and horse-thievery. As I understand it, the owner of said properties would like to see the man swing. The horse was one of its best and Collins drove the beast so hard that he lamed it."

Bennet nodded and Darcy added, "We have commissioned Bow Street Runners to search for your wife and any clues to what is happening here. Collins could not or would not account for his whereabouts for the past weeks, but without any evidence making him complicit in this situation, Budge would not entertain our request to hold the man. As of now there are no other leads."

oOo

Mr. Turnbull slammed his tumbler down on his massive desk. The brandy in his glass sloshed up and out, wetting his hand and staining the express from Lord John Scott. Only a day before Turnbull's name had featured prominently in _The Times_, listing him as the man who would be responsible for bringing a brutal murderer to justice. Now this!

Turnbull had been a moderately successful barrister when he attached his future to Baron Erskine, who was appointed Lord Chancellor in 1806 when the Ministry of All Talents formed a government. Though Turnbull did not agree with all of Erskine's reformist ideas, he was certain that the man would carry Turnbull into a top position. Instead the coalition government lasted for only fourteen months after Erskine took office. In the worst form of betrayal, Baron Erskine appointed his own son-in-law as the Master of Chancery instead of Turnbull.

When Lord John Scott assumed the mantle of Lord Chancellor, Turnbull attempted to ingratiate himself to the man in order to retain his position. The man never even gave him the time of day. Instead he gave Turnbull one day to turn over his cases and clear his desk.

Turnbull attempted to resume his practice as a barrister, but some of his actions while serving the Chancellor had burned important professional connections. Those connections then returned the favor now that Turnbull was out of power.

One year after the loss of his position, Turnbull's older brother passed, making Turnbull the new master of Thornridge, a nondescript estate of moderate income. He move to the estate and did little to improve the estate. When the local magistrate position became available, he jumped on the opportunity, seeing it as an opportunity to demonstrate his mettle. Until Mrs. Bennet's murder, however, he had dealt with nothing more challenging than petty disputes.

_I will NOT allow this case to slip through my fingers! Fine, if the Lord Chancellor wants everything done by the book then that is what I will do! We shall have an inquest right away. That, at least, will keep my name in the public ear._

oOo

"Mrs. Thompson, may I have a moment of your time?" Jim Beecher, a footman at Darcy House requested.

"Certainly, Jim. How may I help you?"

"It... it's my sister, Mira, Mrs. Thompson," Jim began, worrying his hands unconsciously. Mira was one of the upstairs maids who had only recently joined the house. "I heard she was keeping company with someone. She didn't tell me herself, so's I pulled her aside to ask, since my parents made me promise to look after her. She wasn't sayin' much, actin' all secretive-like. So I followed her the next time she left the house and saw her holdin' hands and walkin' with a gent in the park... only he looked familiar. He didn't stay long and was gone so I returned here...

"Thing is, the more I thought on the matter, the more I thought I knew him. Then it came to me that he paid a visit to Mr. Darcy gone on a year ago and the men exchanged angry words. The man left afterwards mutterin' about vengeance. I don' think he's a good man, Mrs. Thompson, and I'm afraid he's usin' Mira to get at the master."

Mira was summoned. She was furious at her brother's betrayal, but eventually admitted that Mr. Wickham _had _been asking a lot of questions about Mr. and Miss Darcy. She even admitted that she told the man that Miss Darcy was staying in Greenwich.

Another express traveled from London to Longbourn, this time carried by a different rider.

oOo

Farmer Lowell found the woman's body on the following morning. The gruesome find had been buried under the loose rubble of an embankment on the Netherfield side of Oakham Mount by Lowell's sheep-dog. Within an hour the constable, magistrate, and several men had arrived to collect the corpse. Since neither Turnbull nor Budge had any close dealings with Mrs. Frances Bennet, neither of them could positively identify the woman.

The body was transported by wagon under a blanket into Meryton and to the constable's office. Word had spread quickly and it seemed that more than half of the town was on-hand to greet the wagon

Sir William Lucas, as the Bennet's nearest neighbor, was summoned to identify the body. He hemmed and hawed, not comfortable with blood and death, but finally agreed to look at the face. One look made him faint. With disgust, Turnbull sent for the next-closest male neighbor, Alan Long. This man took one look and shook his head, "No, this is not Mrs. Bennet. I have never seen this woman before."

Although the magistrate insisted that the information be closely-held for the moment, Long told his wife and that worthy spread the information throughout greater Meryton within two hours. When Mrs. Phillips heard the news, she immediately began insisting that Mr. Bennet must have murdered this mystery woman as well. It was at that point that Mr. Phillips dragged his wife home and began pressing for answers. Uncharacteristically, Mrs. Phillips remained mute.

Oddly enough, Longbourn was the last place to hear of any of this. When the entire entourage from that estate arrived at the constable's office, he blustered for a time before finally allowing only the men to enter. Lord Townbridge had never met his mother-in-law. He was merely there to lend his power as a peer to his cousin. Mr. Darcy had never met Mrs. Bennet, but hoped for some clue from the body. Mr. Hill, the Bennet's butler, was the only one of the three who could make a positive or negative identification. Therefore it was unexpected when Mr. Darcy was the one to exclaim when the sheet was pulled away from the dead woman's face.

"Good God! That is Mrs. Younge!"

oOo

_**Notes: **I apologize for all of the various stories which are happening all at once in this and the two previous chapters. Everything will be coming together soon._


	18. Habeas Corporeal

_**Notes: **To the reviewers who have pointed out necessary corrections, I will try to get to those as soon as I can. To "guest": Kent is southeast of London, on the southern side of the Thames river as it feeds into the Channel. Your other corrections are correct (at least those I've read thus far)._

**Chapter Eighteen – Habeas Corporeal**

"You know this woman, Darcy?" Andrew Fitzwilliam, Lord Townbridge asked. Mr. Budge stuck his thumbs in the straps of his suspenders and waited as well.

"Yes," Darcy all but growled. "She was my sister's companion. It turned out that she was in-deep with George Wickham... As a matter of fact, if she was here then it is almost certain that Wickham was here as well."

"'oo is this Wickham character, Sirs?"

Darcy's jaws bunch as he struggled with his rage, so Andrew answered, "He was once the son of the Darcy's steward and the godson of the elder Mr. Darcy before that worthy passed on. The father was a good man but the son is a reprobate, a gambler, a womanizer, and a swindler... and those are probably his better qualities."

"D'you think that man might be the one did fer this woman?"

Andrew looked at Darcy, who found his voice, "I don't see it, Andrew. George was many things but not the murdering type."

"That was then, Darce. You knew him best as a boy and a young man. Since then he has been living around the dregs of society. That can change any man, especially one who already displayed a complete lack of moral fiber."

Darcy shook his head, "No, I don't see it. After... when Mrs. Younge's credentials came into question a while ago, I commissioned a thorough investigation into the woman. Her married name _was _Mrs. Younge, the young wife of Edward Younge, a prosperous merchant in Leeds who died suddenly in '04 under questionable circumstances. They had only been married for four months. Her maiden name was Doris Donovan and she was a teacher at a local girl's school..." Mr. Darcy's explanation was interrupted when Mr. Bennet began pounding on the door of his holding room and calling for attention.

Grumbling, Mr. Budge went to the door and reluctantly opened it. Before he could scold the man, Mr. Bennet spoke, "Son, could you please repeat the names you just said? Having nothing else to do, I have been listening through the door."

"See here, Mr. Bennet..." Budge began, but Mr. Darcy replied, "Mrs. Younge was married to Edward Younge. Her maiden name was Doris Donovan."

Mr. Bennet gripped his door to steady himself, causing Andrew and Darcy to move forward to help. He smirked and waved them off, "I am well... just shocked." He turned to Mr. Budge, "Constable, could you please send for Mr. Turnbull? I have important information about this case... and my own."

oOo

Matthew Piper did not visit his father after all, and for good reason: his express delivery to Sheerness had revealed information which required intervention by a person of much greater authority than he possessed. With regret he took the fork northwest to London and bypassed his anticipated visit.

After changing horses twice, Matthew requested admission into the offices of Lord Thomas Pelham, Earl of Chichester and the man who controlled the Post. Matthew felt flattered when the man stood and extended a hand, "Mr. Piper! So good to see you. I have been intending to send for you to sit down and take a look at what you came up with for a training plan. Is this why you are paying me a visit?"

Matthew shook his head, "No, your Lordship. I would welcome the opportunity to do what you said, but this is a different matter... and a matter on which I request your guidance..." The rider went on to describe his last few days and the several instances where he interacted with the Bennet family. "... so you see, your Lordship, while I sat there I studied that painting. A very fine looking family..."

The earl was a busy man and while Matthew was a decent story teller, he had yet to see the point of the man's tale, "Yes, yes, Mr. Piper. A fine family indeed. I have read the Times myself and the writer seemed to wax eloquent about them. From his description you would think that the murdered Mrs. Bennet was a veritable angel..."

"That's just it, your Lordship! She isn't dead!"

The Earl straightened, "You will have to explain that statement, young man."

"I just rode here from Sheerness, Lord Pelham. I carried an express all the way there in hopes of visiting my Pa before returning... but the woman who received the express was the same woman in the painting, your Lordship!"

"Are you certain?"

"Yessir. I seen the eldest daughter, the one that is married to Lord Townbridge, more than once. A man does not forget a woman like that. She takes after her mother, she does... and so I had no problem identifying the mother. Same hair, same eyes, same beauty... only older. It _has to be _her! And sir... she is with-child."

"Good God, man! Was the woman confined or in distress? Was she being held against her will?"

"Not as I could see... there was a man with her fer just a moment... a dapper fellow. He had somethin' wrong with his face... healing scars like scratches on one side. But she came out of the cottage bold as you please to take the message. Uppity sort, not like her daughters..."

Lord Pelham gathered his overcoat and top hat, "Come with me, Mr. Piper. We need to make a visit to the Lord Chancellor."

oOo

"... when we arrived in Leeds for the reading of the will, the solicitor was Mr. Donovan. My wife, her brother, and sister had been close to Edward when they were Younge. He was their mother's older brother and a very good man. In fact it was Edward Younge who provided Mr. Edward Gardiner with his start in trade and the girls with their dowries," Thomas Bennet explained.

"We were all surprised to learn that Edward... Mr. Younge, had married only four months before his death, and to a young woman with no connections or dowry. The thing is, we had previously received reports of his progressive senility. We even went so far as to send letters asking if he would consider living with us, but our letters were ignored. Then we were notified of his passing."

"So you _knew _this woman?" Mr. Turnbull demanded. "That suggests that you had motive to murder her too."

"Mister Turnbull," Darcy interjected with all of the authority he was used to exercising, "Are you a _magistrate, _intent on seeing justice done, or are you merely a man looking to bolster his own future?"

"Now see here...!" Turnbull blustered, but Andrew chose to exert his own new authority, "_Mister _Turnbull, I am a Viscount and my father is the Earl of Matlock. My own home in Town is three houses away from that of _my second cousin, _Lord John Scott, Baron Eldon... who you know as _the Lord Chancellor_. Whether you seek justice or just notice, mishandling of this case will _not _give you what you seek.

Now, I know that a certain brilliant young woman, _my sister-in-law, _has attempted to point out several key points. The first: there _is no body._ The second: there is only evidence that Mrs. Bennet came to harm is a blood-stained shawl. This shawl was _known _to have been ripped the previous year. According to both my wife and my sister-in-law, it is unthinkable that Mrs. Bennet would choose to wear a damaged shawl out in public. It is much more likely that she tossed it into a donation bin. The third: Mr. Bennet was severly injured while riding a horse last year. Since then he has been unable to mount a horse _and _he cannot walk without intense pain. Therefore it is unlikely in the extreme that he walked the distance of over two miles _on an uphill grade_ to commit murder.

"I will add a fourth important point: Mr. Bennet, yesterday I sat in your study with Mr. Darcy to discuss what we knew and needed to know. While there I noticed that your top shelves were empty while there were books piled on your desk and on the floor. Could you please explain why that is?"

Mr. Bennet grimaced, "I had Mr. Hill do that because I did not wish to have to ring for him every time that I wished to to read or reference a book from those shelves. You see, ever since the accident I have no strength to lift anything above my shoulders."

"So you could not, for example, lift a rock weighing ten pounds above your head to bring it crashing down on your wife's... or Mrs. Younge's head?"

Mr. Bennet chuckled, "Though I might have the temptation, I certainly would not have the capability." All eyes pointed to Mr. Turnbull and the man visibly deflated.

"Let us suppose for the moment that I concede your points, _Your Lordship,_" Turnbull ungraciously admitted, "I want to hear the rest of the story about this inheritance."

The Master of Longbourn paused to collect his thoughts, then began, "When we arrived, it was to learn that the first reading of the will had already taken place, the bulk of the assets had been liquidated, and Mrs. Younge had departed for parts unknown. We were not even notified of Mr. Younge's death until two weeks after the event. By the time we arrived, another family was moving into his home and another man owned his business. The only inheritance that my wife and her siblings received were those items set aside in a safe-deposit box.

"The solicitor who handled the exchange was a junior partner who disclaimed any part in the reading. His employer had also suddenly died just around the same time as my wife's uncle. Mr. Donovan claimed that he was doing his best to sort out the confusion that his senior's death had left behind. At the time only Mr. Gardiner thought to ask for the personal information of Mrs. Younge. He was given a false name for the lady.

"My brother-in-law continued to investigate after we all returned home. It took six months, but one of his best men uncovered the fact that Mrs. Younge was actually the younger sister of Mr. Donovan. Unfortunately, by the time that was discovered, both the solicitor and his sister were nowhere to be found."

Darcy interjected, "Can you think of any reason that Doris Donovan would be in this neighborhood?"

Mr. Bennet pondered this for a moment and his face suddenly turned sullen. Andrew prompted, "Mr. Bennet?"

The older man looked up with a mixture of anger and embarrassment, "We stayed in Leeds for two weeks while I, Mr. Gardiner, and Mr. Phillips tried to sift through the facts. Mr. Donovan was a handsome, dapper sort of man... and my wife became entirely too interested in the man. She had always been a bit of a flirt, so I did not think much of it until the day I arrived back at our lodgings early and found all of my girls playing out in the yard... and discovered Fanny and Donovan alone inside. There was nothing happening at the moment, but their behavior when I arrived was suspicious."

All of the men in the room, even Turnbull, looked down or away. This could not be an easy admission for any husband to make. Bennet continued, "We left the next day and I thought that was the end of it, but two months later Mrs. Bennet announced that she was with-child... Until that point, at least for the past three or four years, it had always been me visiting her. But this time it was Fanny who was the aggressor. At the time I assumed it was her attempt to reassure me of her affections. After she announced her pregnancy, I began to have suspicions. I resolved to wait until the child was born to see if he or she had Bennet features... only the babe miscarried in the fifth month."

He sighed, "That signaled the end of any affections between us. Since then we have become virtual strangers. She became increasingly difficult and odd in her behaviors toward our daughters until I finally removed each of them from her care. So when she took off, I will admit that I felt neither the responsibility nor the desire to search for her. Mr. Turnbull, I do not care for Frances Bennet, but I would not murder her." He was silent for a long minute and then something seemed to come to mind and he chuckled.

"What amuses you, Mr. Bennet?" Mr. Darcy was the one to ask.

"Only that it was at the end of that trip where my Lizzy-girl met your aunt." He told everyone the story as Elizabeth had related it and then told of Lady Catherine's visit years later. Darcy was especially interested in the tale, as he was about anything related to Elizabeth.

As if the telling of their tale had conjured the ladies, Lady Catherine and Elizabeth barged into the constable's building. It was the grand lady who spoke, "Darcy, you received an express from Mrs. Thompson." Darcy took the message and saw that it had been opened. His irritation with his aunt was immediately forgotten as he read the message. Looking up, he asked, "Elizabeth, have you read this?"

She shook her head, blushing at his familiar address, but responded, "Lady Catherine informed me of the contents, but I did not read it myself."

Darcy looked at the men in the room, "Mr. Turnbull, I have to leave for London immediately. Mr. Wickham, the man most intimately connected with Mrs. Younge, to my knowledge, has been sniffing around those who I care about."

"Mrs. Younge?" Elizabeth inquired, not understanding his mention of her.

Without thinking, Darcy took Elizabeth's hands, "I will have to leave Andrew to fill you in on the details. I believe that your father is now a free man?" His statement, more a question, was aimed at Turnbull. The man reluctantly nodded. Darcy turned his attention back to Elizabeth, who was very aware that this confusing man still had possession of her hands, "I will leave your father and Andrew to explain. The most important issue is that there _had been _a murderer and he or she is still out there... so please be careful until I return."

Darcy was out of the constable's office in a flash, leaving a bewildered Elizabeth and several speculative onlookers behind. Mr. Bennet raised an eyebrow at his daughter, but spoke to the others, "I don't suppose that I can count on everyone to keep that little display quiet until the man returns to make his intentions clear?"

He saw the constable's face and knew it was pointless. Mr. Budge was a worse gossip than his wife and her sister combined.

oOo

_**Author's notes: **The case will be over soon, but the story of our two lovers is not yet told. Please be patient with me._


	19. Stomping Snakes

_**Notes: **One reviewer asked how Matthew Piper would have access to the Postmaster General. I read the review, but when I tried to look at it again the reviews for the last chapter weren't there again. Here is the explanation: In a previous chapter the Postmaster specifically met with Matthew to discuss reforming the post-riders. That is the reason._

**Chapter Nineteen – Stomping Snakes**

Magistrate Turnbull watched Mr. Darcy depart and then began to listen as Lord Townbridge began to repeat the story that _he _already knew to the two ladies. Not interested in another repeat, he pointed to Constable Budge, "Go and collect the Phillips. I believe that we need to have a conversation with them."

Budge departed and the magistrate turned his attention to Mr. Bennet, who had sat silent for the past few minutes. "Mr. Bennet, you are released, but I think that I would appreciate it if you could listen in on my talk with your inlaws. Perhaps you have some insight that I might easily miss."

Mr. Bennet nodded and then steepled his fingers. "As much as I would prefer a good book and a glass of port, I will remain. Is there a way that I could listen without them knowing of my presence?"

"It will be done."

oOo

Darcy knew from the express that Lady Miriam had already taken steps to secure her home and the ladies residing within it. As much as he wanted to rush straight to Georgiana's side, he knew that his sister's safety would be much better insured by securing the scoundrel Wickham once and for all. So instead of sending his carriage toward Greenwich, he directed it to Darcy House. Meanwhile he made plans.

Mrs. Thompson, the housekeeper for Darcy's London residence, had anticipated his arrival. "There is water heated for your bath, Mr. Darcy. A warm meal can be in your chambers or your study once you are ready.

"Thank you, Mrs. Thompson. I will take half an hour to freshen up, then I will take my meal in the study." He turned to his butler, "Please send a man to Bow Street an specifically request Stephen Heidl. I need to write several letters and want them carried to their addresses quickly, so please have two reliable men to do that. And Mrs. Thompson, please bring the young maid who had met with Wickham to my study in one hour."

While his staff moved to comply with his wishes, Darcy walked briskly up the stairs. His valet had already preceded him, so there was little delay before hot water was poured into the large tub and Darcy stepped in to soak.

He had only been in the tub for five minutes when Mr. Hammil, the butler, stepped into the room with a bewildered look, "Sir, Mr. George Wickham has just presented himself at the servant's entrance and requests a meeting."

oOo

Upon further conversation, it was decided that the magistrate should interview Mr. and Mrs. Phillips separately. Mr. Phillips was the local solicitor, a rather dull man, but still respected for his honest dealings. His wife was the village's worst gossip and she engendered far less respect.

Turnbull suspected that Mrs. Phillips was directly involved in this case, so he chose instructed Mr. Budge and two large, intimidating men to stand guard over her while her husband was interviewed. "Once she is in the holding room, remain stern and silent. Do not answer any of her questions," Turnbull instructed.

Mr. Bennet added, "Mr. Budge, if you gave her a long, sad look every once in a while and shook your head in disgust, it might add to the drama." Mr. Turnbull met Bennet's eyes for a moment, then nodded. Both men knew that Budge was neither intelligent nor an actor, but Mrs. Phillips was not the brightest either. "Do as Mr. Bennet suggests, Elias. Only _do not _overdo it. Simply remain silent and make her understand by your disapproval that she is in trouble."

Mr. Phillips was escorted into the interrogation room by a Lord Townbridge himself. The portly man seemed resigned instead of concerned, "Mr. Turnbull, I assume that my wife and her sister are up to something?"

"You seem to be of the opinion that Mrs. Bennet is alive." It was a statement that demanded a question.

Mr. Phillips scoffed, "I left for a legal commission in Norfolk a week after my sister-in-law law ran off. Frankly I hoped the creature would remain far away. I cannot stand the woman. My case stretched on for far longer than I had hoped and got rather sticky. Sorry to say, but I made it a bit of a vacation and did not bother to read the newspapers. I returned yesterday to learn that Fanny has supposedly been murdered, that Thomas has been incarcerated, and that my wife is attempting to incite a lynch mob.

"Now Mr. Turnbull, I know my wife and sister-in-law all too well. The two have been as thick as thieves since they were little, with Gertie allowing her little sister to lead her around by the nose ever since. I listened to Gertie's tale at dinner last night and none of it added up. You scheduled an inquest for Thursday, so I decided to do a little investigation of my own before I spoke with you."

"And what have you found?"

"According to the servants, Fanny and Gertie were doing a lot of whispering right before Fanny took off. Our maid, Betty, tells me that she saw both ladies talking with a dapper looking gent around about the same time. Handsome, well-built fellow in his mid-to-late thirties. I checked with my clerk and learned that he has had to frank letters from London and lately from Sheerness. The letters from London were from a solicitor by the name of Donovan."

He leaned forward, his forearms resting on the table, "It took me a until this morning to parse that name, but now I remember it: some years ago we, the Bennets, and the Gardiners went north to Leeds for the reading of a will. The deceased was Mr. Younge, the uncle...

"...I was suspicious at the time, but the investigator Edward Gardiner and I hired did not turn up anything actionable. At the time I had a case overload here at home, so I rushed our return and forgot about the whole thing."

Turnbull grunted. Aside from confirmation of Mrs. Phillip part in the scheme, there had not been any truly new information. "Can you tell me anything specific that might help us to understand what the ladies were up to, Mr. Phillips?"

"The one thing that I can tell you is that Mrs. Bennet was all but insane after Thomas sent their youngest, Lydia Bennet, off to school. She demanded my legal help, but I informed her that her husband was within his rights and that her own behaviors toward her other daughters led to this. She almost attacked me. I suppose that is why she went seeking another solicitor... but I have no idea how she knew to contact this Mr. Donovan."

oOo

Mr. Darcy sat upright and stern behind his great oaken desk as Mr. Wickham was led into his office. Although the two burly footmen were not holding the man, their presence and proximity made it clear that they would be happy to deal with him if he attempted anything foolish. George Wickham smirked, but Darcy could see something unexpected in the man's eyes: fear.

"Wickham, take a seat and tell me why you are here... and why you are up to your old tricks with one of my maids."

Wickham sighed, "Mira is a pretty little thing, but she is completely innocent in this. I knew that if your staff heard that I was keeping company with the girl, you would be told and would make your way here as soon as possible. I asked her questions about Georgie... about Miss Darcy to guarantee your prompt reaction."

"I am supposed to believe that you _wanted _to meet with me? After this summer?"

The man grimaced, but nodded, "Sorry about that, Old Chap. I was... and still am in dire straights... only it is much worse now." Wickham looked at the two men flanking his chair and added, "Darce, if I promise on my life that I will remain well-behaved in this chair, could we dispense with my guards?"

Darcy pondered this for a long minute, his eyes never leaving Wickham's. Finally he spoke, "Jonathan, Michael, please wait outside. Allow nobody to come close enough to this room to overhear. If I ring for you, come immediately." The two men glared at Wickham for a moment and then obeyed. "Out with it, George."

"I need your help, Darcy. It is a matter of life and death."

Darcy might have scoffed at his childhood friend's dramatics, but there was genuine fear in the man's eyes. "Tell me."

"As you know, Mrs. Younge was in collusion with me in Ramsgate. It was a nasty trick, but I was still angry at you and I was desperate for money. I owe a rather large sum to some very dangerous men."

"So you decided to get it by hurting a child who has known and trusted you since she was an infant? The daughter of your own godfather?" Darcy growled.

George Wickham winced, but expelled a breath and responded, "It was wrong. I know it and regret it... but I was and am rather desperate... only everything is much worse now."

Darcy remained cold and silent. When Wickham realized that he would receive no further reply, he continued, "Well, that ward of your aunt, Elizabeth Bennet, fixed us rather handily." He shook his head with cold mirth, "Walked up to the cottage bold as you please and presents herself. Had us believing that Lady Catherine de Bourgh would be coming right behind her with the local magistrate. Only later we found out that your aunt was in London with the rest of you for your cousin's funeral.

"I was furious and still in bad circumstances, so we started out to discover everything we could about the chit..." Wickham saw the sudden increase in anger in Darcy's eyes and he chortled, "Oh-hoh! The pretty lady has captured the interest of more than just your aunt, I see."

When Darcy began to rise, Wickham waved him down pleadingly, "I am sorry. Old habits die hard. She will come to no harm from me... but there is another that you should fear. Let me finish my tale: We did a little investigating of our own and found out that her family hailed from the little town of Meryton. Things were too hot for us here, so we took a jaunt down there. We stayed in a closed-up estate close to the chi... Miss Bennet's home. Loh and behold, Doris saw her half-brother, David Donovan, keeping company with the woman who we already knew Miss Bennet's mother.

"Now what you need to know is that David Donovan is a very dangerous man. He was some years older than Doris and the head of the house with their father's passing. I met both of them before I finished Cambridge. He was already a solicitor and word on the streets was that he had some shady dealings. I liked Doris Donovan, even might have been falling in love with her, but was tied up with other matters in London."

Darcy knew that those "other matters" were carousing and gambling as the side-kick of the then Viscount Townbridge, Timothy Fitzwilliam. Wickham continued, "When I visited Leeds again, I found out that Doris had been forced by her brother to marry a Mr. Younge, a much older man who was quite wealthy. The thing was, Doris thought that her brother was up to something worse and she was afraid of the man. Her 'husband' was mostly senile and her brother was replacing the servants with his own selections right under her nose and without her input. She was right, because only a few weeks after I spoke with her, Mr. Younge was poisoned.

"Donovan was only the junior solicitor in a firm, but right when Younge died the lead solicitor also shuffled off this mortal coil. Doris inherited everything, but Donovan had full-control. She was afraid for her own life. I helped her to find a position as a companion to a lady in Scotland. Donovan must have been content with what he got, because he never went after either of us."

"Why were you helping her, Wickham? It is not like you to put yourself out without gain."

Wickham looked genuinely sad, "I know that it isn't like me... but I truly cared for Doris. That is why I looked to her for help this summer. We thought... we were going to escape to America and establish ourselves there." Seeing the rage in Darcy's eyes he quickly added, "We were never going to harm your sister... only solicit funds from you."

Darcy wanted to strangle the man, but he wanted the rest of the tale, "Continue."

"Doris decided that blackmailing the wife of the largest local landowner would give us what we needed to survive. I thought she was being a fool, but since her brother didn't harm her before..."

Darcy saw the anguish and fear in the face of his nemesis and prompted, "How was she killed?"

"You know?" Wickham demanded, leaning forward.

"I just left Meryton this morning. Answer the question."

"Doris sent a note demanding to meet with Mrs. Bennet on the summit of a local promontory. She thought she was being clever by waiting at the base instead. When Mrs. Bennet walked up the trail, Doris stepped out to speak with her. I was concerned, so I had followed Doris to lend a hand if I was needed, but before I could draw near, I saw a man coming out of some bushes with a rock in his hand. I was too far away... she... she never even heard him coming... I yelled, he turned, and I recognized Donovan.

Wickham cleared his throat before adding, "And he also saw me. I ran. I stole a horse and kept riding until I reached Town... only a few days later there were men looking for me... Donovan's men. So I did the only thing I could. I have been hiding in your stable's hay-loft ever since and dear Mira has been bringing me scraps. When you stayed away for so long I had to stir the waters so that you would rush back."

oOo

"You have no right to treat me like this! Mr. Bennet murdered my sister! Why hasn't he been hung?"

"To begin with, why don't you tell me what part you had in the murder of Doris Donovan, Mrs. Phillips?"

"Who? What are you talking about? There have been no murders..." Gertie Phillips' eyes suddenly went wide and her mouth clamped shut.

"So you know that your sister is alive, but you do not know about the true victim in this tale?" Turnbull demanded. "What is it that Frances Bennet did tell you, Mrs. Phillips... and understand, if you do not tell me the truth, then you will also be guilty of the murder."

The shrewish woman looked frightened at this point and more than a little confused, "My sister would not murder somebody, Mr. Turnbull. She told me that the blood was from a chicken."

"Not murder anyone? What do you suppose it is called when you and your sister deliberately schemed to have Mr. Bennet hung?"

Mrs. Phillips actually had to ponder this for a moment, then she defiantly answered, "He took away her daughters! Every last one of them. What was she supposed to do? What with the child and all..." Again she clamped up.

"What child, Mrs. Phillips," Turnbull leaned forward, his posture and expression both intimidating. "You _used _my office in order to convict an innocent man so that he could hang. If you do not answer my questions immediately and with no further resistance, then it will be you visiting the gallows."

Gulping, Mrs. Phillips meekly answered, "She only did it to protect her baby... the future heir of Longbourn. She told me that she was afraid that Thomas was losing his mind and that he would send the baby away too. So she decided to run away... but that wouldn't be enough. She had to remove Mr. Bennet or he would harm her child."

"What part did Mr. Donovan play in all of this?" The woman's eyes went wide and then would not meet his own. "Mrs. Phillips, my patience grows thin."

"He... he is her solicitor. She knew him from a long time ago and accidentally met him again about four years ago on a visit to her brother in London. When Bennet went mad, she hired him to get her Lydia back... but then she became with-child, so he helped her to escape instead."

Turnbull looked into the woman's eyes for a long time in order to read them, but finally he snorted in disgust. "You know that she is carrying Donovan's child, don't you, Mrs. Phillips?"

She hung her head and nodded.

"Give me your sister's location. It is time for her to return to Meryton."

oOo

Matthew Piper was bemused as he led the troop of redcoats down the side-street in Sheerness. He had never expected to have so much to do with such a prominent murder investigation... and to think that the woman was not dead at all! Now here he was leading soldiers personally signed off to the highest court for the purpose of seizing the man and woman he had seen only the day before! He was truly living in interesting times.

The lieutenant in-charge pulled up next to him, "Are we close?"

Matthew pointed to a cottage set apart on a little sandy knoll, "That is the one, Sir."

Frances Bennet was resting on a wooden bench and enjoying the sea breeze. Her hand rested on her belly, which had just recently begun to swell to the point where even loose dresses no longer concealed her girth. Life was good. She was here with the man she adored and she was carrying the next heir to Longbourn... it wasn't Mr. Bennet's child, of course, but with him hung for murder, surely nobody would be there to know the difference. _I hope that he will have David's eyes... and his broad shoulders..._

The memory of her first time meeting with Mr. Donovan. He had been so apologetic, so solicitous of her loss. Mr. Bennet had done little or nothing to recover all of the money that her uncle's wife had stolen. David had stepped in and consoled her, had spent time alone with her... had comforted her. Fanny saw absolutely no reason to alert her husband that she was carrying another man's child then... _My poor Edward. He should have been born. He would be master of Longbourn someday. I blame it on Mr. Bennet, he should have supported me more. Well he will not harm my little David! David will grow up with a real father who takes care of him and of me. Since the girls all betrayed me, then they can very well stay away!_

For the thousandth time, the memory of Donovan crashing a stone down on that woman's head tried to haunt her. For the thousandth time she pushed it away, telling herself that the woman had been a blackmailer, trying to steal her unborn son's inheritance.

It had been David who suggested the meeting place, just as he had suggested taking one of her recognizable shawls along. He had wanted her to wear her best, the silly man. Fanny had been unwilling to waste one of her good shawls, but she did have the one with the tear. Again a memory asserted itself, this time of David wiping the shawl in the dead woman's blood... and dragging the body off towards a gully... and again pushed the memory away. She rubbed her belly and smiled: _It was all for you, little one. All for you._

Inside the cottage, David Donovan read his letters from London and the surrounding areas. No sign of George Wickham had been seen. _That snake will raise his head eventually and I will chop it off. As soon as that fool of a magistrate in Meryton takes care of Mr. Bennet, I will present Mrs. Bennet and the heir. I have all of the testimonials that I need to show that the man attacked his wife and she had to flee for her life. I'll marry her as soon as we can to see to having a man about the place. Things are a little hot in Town for me right now, so having a base of operations three hours away would be a wise investment..._

_And if stupid Fanny cannot keep me happy, I could always give her a little of the same powder that killed her uncle. The foolish woman doesn't even know that I'm the one who stole her inheritance._

Multiple hoofbeats were heard, causing both Fanny and David to look up from their musings. Fanny, being outside, looked toward the noise and smiled with pleasure. _Soldiers! I do so love a man in a red coat! _David was not so pleased. This cottage was set apart from the other local residences. This troop could only be riding here... he quickly threw his correspondence into the fire and ran to his saddlebags.

When the lieutenant signaled a halt on the lawn of the cottage, the pretty lady in her late middle years smiled in greeting. She was obviously pregnant and just as obviously unconcerned about these soldiers. "Madam, are you the resident of this cottage?"

Frances Bennet smiled at the oh-so-handsome officer in his red coat, "Of course, Officer. Though we're only leasing it for..." Her words cut off as she was roughly grabbed from behind. Turning her head in shock, she saw David. Only his expression was not its usual debonair smirk, but a fierce, even hateful snarl. "Get back, all of you!"

"David?!"

One rough hand yanked her hair while the other pressed a pistol against her belly, "Shut up, woman! You, lieutenant: get your men on down the road. My woman and I are going the other way. If you attempt to follow, I'll put a ball in her belly."

"DAVID!?" Fanny snapped in fear, but the man she thought she knew only growled and yanked her head back harder.

Lieutenant Summers turned his horse as if to issue a command to his men, but these were crack troops and they understood. While his horse blocked the man's view, his front line pulled their rifles out of their leather holsters. The back row dismounted at the same time, quickly loping off into the tall dune grass and dropping out of sight. Lieutenant Summers wheeled back, "Sir, I do not know who you are. We have been sent to take this woman into custody. I have no orders concerning you. So if you let her be, then you will be free to depart. If you continue to threaten, however, my men will have no choice but to riddle you with lead."

David Donovan scoffed, "You think that I believe you will let me go? I am not stupid. No, you will take your men back down the drive and Fanny and me will take a different trail."

Matthew Piper's eyes were wide with shock. He had not expected anything like this. Though he and the other riders were always ready to fend off highwaymen, he had seldom encountered any problems. Certainly never a desperate man holding a pregnant woman at gunpoint.

"I am afraid that I cannot do that. I am under orders from the Lord Chancellor himself to collect this woman, now..."

Just then Fanny Bennet's famous nerves finally asserted themselves. She fainted and began to collapse. Donovan, having not expected the sudden weight of her body, jerked in surprise and pulled the trigger. Fanny fell to the road. From both the tall dune grass on either side of the drive, soldiers who had been waiting for a signal fired. Even though the barrels were rifled, three of the rounds missed. The other five lead balls struck, coming from both sides. For a brief moment the impacts actually kept David Donovan upright, but then his body fell on top of his last victim.

In a trice men from every direction were on the scene, pulling the man off of the woman. Donovan's pistol had been aimed at Frances Bennet's belly, but her sudden fall had altered the aim, sending the shot straight through her heart.

oOo

_**Notes: **Gruesome, I know, but justice at the time was often swift. From here on the story will begin to focus on the Bennet girls again._


	20. Resolution and Relocation

**Chapter Twenty – Resolution and Relocation**

The last well-wisher was gone for the day and good riddance to the lot.

Elizabeth knew that was uncharitable, but she feared her teeth would be ground down to nubs if she had to clench her jaw shut one more time. These were the people, after all, who so quickly condemned her father as a heartless murderer. Many of them were quick to assert that they "never believed any of that for even a moment!" But Elizabeth and Lady Catherine had resided in Longbourn for a week while her father was incarcerated and not one of those neighbors except for the Lucas family had made an appearance. When Elizabeth had walked the streets of Meryton those same people had shunned her and whispered behind her back.

No, Elizabeth felt no strong attachments to these people anymore.

She looked over to where Jane held Lydia tightly to her as the youngest Bennet allowed the pent-up grief of the day finally escape. Though only Jane and Elizabeth knew the full truth, Lydia was the only daughter of the remaining three who still held her mother in any affection. Mrs. Frances Bennet had destroyed her relationships with Mary and Kitty long ago.

Kitty sat demurely on the divan next to the very angular and handsome Dr. Ian MacDonald, her betrothed. They had remained properly spaced apart during the interminable visits... it could not be named a "viewing" since Mrs. Bennet's body was not present. Now that the last neighbor was gone, Kitty was practically sitting in the man's lap. Nobody said a thing. Elizabeth smiled adoringly, _Let them have their stolen moments. Mama never thought Kitty would live, much less marry. She was often cruelly vocal about her thoughts. You were wrong again, Mama._

Elizabeth shook herself to dispel such bitter thoughts. She gazed out of the window where a much more "proper" courtship was taking place. Mary was strolling around Longbourn's little park with Mr. Percy Griffin. Elizabeth allowed herself just one more spiteful thought, _All of your girls will be happy now, Mama. _A stray image of the gloriously handsome man sitting with her father in his office slipped into her thoughts. She remembered well the way he had held her hand in the constable's office and promised to return. The look in his eyes...

oOo

…_though the heroic officers and men of the Royal Fusiliers moved swiftly and boldly, they were too late to save the poor victim of Donovan's latest scheme. Mrs. Frances Bennet, wife and mother, was gunned down in cold blood. Justice was prompt, however, as the Fusiliers fired from every direction and the scourge of Leeds and London was struck down forever..._

Thomas Bennet tossed the Times away in disgust. "Congratulate me, Mr. Darcy, Lord Townbridge; I am now the widower of a tragic hero."

"It had to be done for your daughters' sakes, Mr. Bennet," Andrew reminded the man once again. He, his mother, and Lady Catherine had been in London for the past few days, carefully reshaping the story for public consumption. "We could not allow the Bennet ladies to suffer for the actions of their mother. None of us wishes to perpetuate a lie, but the the criminals are the only ones now who would not suffer from the truth. They are dead. Your daughters live on and are made vulnerable by their mother's actions."

Bennet waved his son-in-law off, "I know, Andrew. I am just being difficult. Believe it or not, I wish that Fanny had lived long enough to deliver the child. Were he a boy, I would gladly have given all this..." he waved his hand around to indicate estate and manor house, "... to him and be done with it. I am free, but this estate continues to feel like a cage to me."

Darcy leaned forward, "Then, Sir, allow me to offer a possible pleasant alternative."

oOo

"So you shipped Mr. Wickham off to the Canadas without telling him about Donovan's death?" Elizabeth prompted two days later as she rode in one of several carriages making up the Darcy caravan. Riding with her were her father, Lady Catherine, and Mr. Darcy.

The man she was interrogating offered her a wide smile that had a very uncomfortably pleasant impact on her insides, "Per our agreement. George begged me to see him safely out of Great Britain. I agreed with the proviso that I would pay his remaining debts... but _only after _he was departed from England's shores once and for all. He boarded the _Maryanne _in London. It sailed down the Thames with a stopover in Southend for cargo. Captain Baines was under strict instructions that no newspapers were allowed on board on this journey to the North Sea. Wickham was fearful of being recognized, so he stored himself safely below-decks. Before they warped out of harbor, Baines sent me a post to confirm that all was well. George Wickham is now permanently removed from our waters."

"Without ever learning that the man he feared could no longer harm him," Elizabeth prompted.

Lady Catherine huffed, "Good riddance to bad rubbish... though I doubt very seriously that Donovan was the _only_ man that George Wickham had to fear. That boy was a crook and a gambler from the day he was breeched and only grew worse since. I have never understood why your foolish father insisted on making such a fuss over the cur, Darcy."

Darcy's eyes shot over to Elizabeth's for the briefest moment. She was the only one to whom he had revealed that his father, bereaved after the loss of his wife, had a prolonged affair with his steward's wife. This took place long after Wickham was born, so there were no claims of blood, but there had been an emotional attachment. The elder Mr. Darcy had been just as blind to that woman's actual character as he had been to her son's. Thankfully a brief surge of influenza had caught up with the woman in London while she was busy spending her lover's money. Otherwise she might have found a way to insert her son into the heir's role.

Elizabeth glanced out of the carriage window towards the carriage currently leading the pack. Mary and her beau, along with Kitty and her fiance, were riding in that vehicle. Just as he had seen to everything else, Darcy had arranged for his under-steward to travel to Longbourn and relieve Percy Griffin of his duties temporarily. The steward would have the freedom to court Mary properly in Pemberley, away from the watching eyes of Hertfordshire.

Mr. Bennet had been adamant, even including Lydia in his disclosures, "From all that any of us can tell, daughters, your mother lost her mind long ago and has gradually gotten worse. I am sorry to tell you this, Lydia, but the official story is nothing more than a fiction created to protect your reputations. Fanny left Longbourn of her own free will and consorted with that man to have me removed."

Lydia had surprised everyone by replying, "I think I knew that, Papa. Her letters she sent to me at school were... shocking. They were full of hate and accusations and promises of revenge. Frankly, they frightened me." Mary, who was seated the nearest to her, had pulled her close. Lydia continued, "I also think that I have seen this Mr. Donovan. I went shopping for some necessities with my new friend Lady Cassie and her mother one day. I cannot state for a certainty, but I thought I saw Mama and a tall man walking arm-in-arm out of a shop and boarding a carriage. I almost called out... but I was afraid that I was right and did not wish to humiliate myself in front of my friend..." she hung her head and said, "I am sorry, Papa. I should have told you."

Mr. Bennet stepped forward and cupped his youngest's face, "There is nothing for you to be sorry about. In fact, I am pleased that your eyes are opened to the truth, because what I am about to propose might be offensive otherwise."

Everyone had leaned forward in anticipation. Mr. Bennet paused for dramatic effect, causing his second eldest to roll her eyes, "Mr. Darcy has invited us to sojourn at Pemberley for the foreseeable future. To be quite frank, I have absolutely no desire to traipse around this neighborhood wearing mourning for the next year listening to condolences from the same people who were so quick to believe that I murdered my wife."

He saw Mary's expression and gently added, "Mary, Mr. Darcy has also sent an express to his estate requesting his under-steward to come here to oversee Longbourn. I have already given my hearty consent to allow Mr. Griffin to court you... He will reside with Pemberley's steward while that takes place."

Mary sucked in her breath but could not suppress a smile. Then she frowned and asked, "But how can he court me when I am in mourning?"

"That is precisely what I am trying to tell you. I will offer each of you your own choice in the matter, so long as you also respect your sister's choices, but it comes to this: Once we arrive in Pemberley, which is a three-day journey from here, I propose that we throw off mourning."

There were varying degrees of shock around the room. Jane, as the recently married Lady Townbridge, was wearing black already in respect for her husband's family. Since she had the least desire of any person to give honor to her deceased brother-in-law, she was actually the first to support her father's idea. "Father is right. The mother we knew has been gone for quite some time. I think... I wish to believe that she truly loved us once, but something happened long ago to change her. Andrew and I must wear mourning already for an unworthy man..." her husband nodded and squeezed her hand in support, "I, for one, will not stretch that mourning out any further than necessary.

"I am the only one of us who had seen Pemberley. It is vast and you may easily conduct yourselves their without putting on a false-front."

Mary, the most religious of the group, spoke next, "Mama never showed me even the slightest hint of love. I never felt like a worthy person until Lady Catherine and then Lady Miriam welcomed me into their homes. I will not mourn."

Kitty spoke up, "I was sickly and not good enough for Mama. I doubt she would have wasted much time mourning me. I could be bitter, but my sisters and Lady Miriam have taught me to forgive. Now I am engaged to the best man I know. We do not wish to wait for a year. I will not mourn."

Lydia frowned and asked, "Papa, will I have to go back to school?"

Her father regarded her for a long moment, "Lydia, Mr. Darcy has recently installed a new companion for his sister, Miss Darcy. _If _you will consent to sit with Miss Darcy and continue in your lessons with her masters under the authority of her companion, then you may remain at Pemberley. But I wish you to become an accomplished young woman."

Lydia nodded, "I will not mourn. I think that I have mourned enough since I began to understand her true character."

All eyes turned to Elizabeth. She found herself wishing that Lady Catherine... or perhaps Mr. Darcy... was in the room with her. She twisted her lips and then provided her answer, "Like Mary, I do not know that Mama ever loved me. In fact, I suspect that she hated me. Lady Catherine has been the closest thing I have ever had to a mother for the past few years. I am sorry for what Mrs. Bennet became, but she ceased to be my mother on the day she tried to give me to Mr. Collins. I will not mourn her."

Mary asked, "Whatever happened to Mr. Collins?"

Andrew, the only indirect family member in the room, furnished the answer, "Mr. Collins is currently on a ship bound for Von Diemen's Land. He stood trial in Kent for multiple charges of theft. His is life-sentence, so he forfeits any claim to Longbourn."

"Why was he here anyway," Elizabeth asked.

Andrew grimaced, "The magistrate there got that information out of him... Miss Bennet, he was lingering in the area seeking an opportunity to catch you unaware and compromise you." All of the young ladies except for Jane were shocked. Andrew had already confided in his wife.

"Serves him right," Lydia muttered. "They should have hanged him."

Not even Mary confronted her about her words.

So now they were nearing the end of their three-day trek northward to Pemberley. Jane and her husband, along with Lydia and Georgiana, had veered off toward Matlock earlier in the day. Andrew had a particular horse which he thought might make a fine mount for the youngest Bennet. Since Georgiana was an avid rider, the viscount intended to make it possible for Lydia to accompany her in style. The two girls would rejoin the rest in a week.

"As soon as we pass this crossroads, the rest of the lands that you will see belong to Pemberley," Darcy proudly informed the passengers in his carriage, though his eyes were fixed on Elizabeth.

She felt his intent look and blushed. "And shall we reach your estate before nightfall, Sir?"

Beside her Lady Catherine smiled fondly at her charge and replied for her nephew, "We shall, Elizabeth... but it will be a close-run thing."

It was not even noon yet. Elizabeth glanced quickly from her beloved Lady Catherine to Darcy, but could not see even a hint of humor in their expressions, "Truly?"

It was Mr. Bennet who replied next, "Truly, my dear. Rumor has it that Darcy owns half of Derbyshire and his uncle the earl owns the other half."

At this Darcy coughed, then offered a denial, "I suspect that Arkwright might have a different view on the matter." Elizabeth knew that Richard Arkwright was the inventor and industrialist who perfected the water frame and built cotton textile mills all along the Derwent River. He was reputed to be one of the richest men in the world. Darcy added, "Of course, since both the Fitzwilliams and my father invested heavily in Arkwright, he might not be too vocal in his denials."

"And are you _still _invested in Arkwright?" Elizabeth asked with meaning. Reports of the long hours, dangers, and abuses in the mills were beginning to find their way into the news. Since Arkwright primarily employed women and children, this was a matter of some concern for the reformist Elizabeth.

Darcy was happy to be able to give the right answer, "No, I am not. I _am_ one of the investors in the canal project, but I no longer support Arkwright's mills. We had a disagreement on some of his practices." The smile he received at that moment in the carriage more than made up for the monies he had lost by not continuing with Arkwright.

Lady Catherine chose not to inform her ward that _she _was still profiting from those investments. She determined instead to look into the matter. Perhaps it was time to take her investments elsewhere. Elizabeth had become so very dear to her and she would not lose the young lady's esteem for a few more pounds of profit.

It did not, in fact, take until the late evening for the caravan to reach Pemberley. In the early afternoon the carriages began ascending a long rise. At the crest, Darcy's carriage came to a stop. He had deliberately reordered the carriages so that his was rearmost. Now, as the other vehicles continued on, Darcy opened the carriage door and stepped out.

Elizabeth watched in confusion as the confusing man exited, then turned and looked directly at her, "Elizabeth, would you kindly join me?" Startled at his free use of her name right in front of her father and Lady Catherine, she hesitated. Lady Catherine prompted, "Go on, Child. It is an overly warm day and I am in need of a bath and a rest." Elizabeth looked at her father, who only smirked and nodded. She blushingly took Mr. Darcy's hand and allowed him to help her out of the vehicle.

Immediately after the pair were clear, the driver slapped the reins and the carriage continued over the crest. Looking at the departing vehicle and then Darcy, Elizabeth waited for an explanation. "I know of your great love of walking, Elizabeth, so I thought we might complete our journey on foot." He offered her his arm.

Once it was clear that no further explanation would be immediately forthcoming, Elizabeth tucked her hand into the crook of the tall, handsome, frustrating man's arm. They walked up the final rise together until Elizabeth finally had a view over the rise... and then she gasped in wonder.

Darcy watched adoringly as her gaze swept from horizon to horizon, and then began taking in the individual details of the house, the stream, the trails, and the lake. "Do you approve, My Dear?"

Elizabeth was too absorbed to notice the endearment right away, but it slowly sank in and she removed her eyes from the scene to lift them to meet those of the man who had become so very dear to her, "There are few who would not approve, I think."

"But your good opinion is never given carelessly, and is therefore more precious."

Her eyes were completely locked on Darcy's now as she replied, "I have never seen a place for which nature has done more, or where natural beauty has been so little counteracted by man's awkward taste... your Pemberley is truly wonderful."

Darcy took a moment to find his words, so lost was he in Elizabeth's beauty, "You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you, Elizabeth. Pemberley _is _wonderful, but it can never be complete for me until you are installed in it as its mistress... and my wife. Elizabeth Bennet, will you make me the happiest man in history by becoming my wife?"

With tears of happiness streaming down her eyes, Elizabeth nodded, then finally found her voice, "Yes! YES! I can think of nothing in this world that could make me happier than for you to be my beloved husband."

They were almost an eighth of a mile from the steps of Pemberley, but even from that distance the happy couple might have heard the cheer that arose when Darcy pulled Elizabeth into his arms and kissed her soundly... that is if anything else in the world existed for them at that moment.

oOo

_**Notes: **I know that many of my readers were unhappy when I allowed the unborn infant to die. I had my own problems with this, but the story insisted on playing out like that._

_The story is not over, but it will wrap up soon._


	21. Adjustments and Avowals

_**Notes: **Thank you for all of the reviews, especially those which have made me aware of errors. I should not attempt to write any of my chapters on the road. Whenever I do I seem to jumble names. It is hard to believe that I used to have a great memory for details. Anyway, thank you and I will try to stay up on my corrections._

**Chapter Twenty-One – Adjustments and Avowals**

"I must apologize to you, Mr. Piper," Lord Pelham insisted, "You should have been the man to be credited for the discovery of Mrs. Bennet, not the magistrate in Meryton. Although the Lord Chancellor _was _grateful, he felt that it would paint his office in a bad light if a postal rider solved this crime rather than one of his own."

Matthew shrugged, "It matters little, My Lord. I did not inform you with any hope or expectation of a reward."

The Lord Postmaster regarded his young protégé with thoughtful eyes, "No, I believe that you did not. That, as much as anything sets you apart from your peers. That is why I have decided to begin with my program now rather than waiting. As of this moment you are in charge of all postal riders. As we have previously discussed, I want you to do all that you can to curtail their bad behaviors and to instill honor in their service. Will you take on this task for me?

"The one benefit we have gained in all of this is that the Lord Chancellor has promised to lend his voice in Parliament to do away with the interference of the Shadow Post-Master*. With his assistance, I will finally be able to make the improvements that I deem fit. You shall be the spearhead in my efforts."

The younger man flushed with pride and joy, "It will be my honor, Your Lordship."

Pelham nodded decisively, "Then it is done. You will receive a salary of two-hundred pounds, an expense account for all of the travel your position will require, _and _I have taken the liberty of moving you into a fine establishment near my offices. It is a fine place where many young single gentlemen resided, and it has well-kept stable where you will be able to keep your mount."

For the next hour the two men were heads-in, discussing the most nefarious problems with postal riders in various counties as well as the first reforms to be made. When they were done Matthew spent the rest of his day happily relocating to his new home.

oOo

Everyone turned a blind eye as Dr. Ian MacDonald with great practicality lifted Kitty off the ground and brought her beautiful face close to his so that they could share a long and tender parting kiss. As sweet as that kiss was, Kitty could feel the restrained passion underneath. As much as she loved this man and his caring concern for her health, she fully intended to bring that passion to the forefront once they married. For now she had to be content with the love in his dark eyes. Leaning back, she looked at him and declared, "You _will _write to me, won't you Ian? It is cruel in the extreme that Lizzie will be here with her Darcy, but you will be so far away."

"I will write, my dear, and we will see each other again in three months. By then much of the fervor about your mother's story will have passed on and several new scandals will have arisen to tickle the public fancy. Lady Miriam will slip you back into Livingston House with a minimum of fuss and we shall see each other as often as your lessons and my practice will allow." Lady Miriam had committed to giving Kitty a course of instruction on being the mistress of her own home. With a small dowry and the doctor's successful practice, their home would be pleasant, but not remotely ostentatious. Their house boasted housekeeper, a man-of-all-work, a maid, and a cook. His office and treatment area were in an adjoining building. Ian's curricle and two carriage horses were kept at a nearby stable.

Ian gently set his precious love back with her feet on the road, "Your father has deemed it permissible for us to marry a month after your return to Town. Because that is only four months into mourning, ours will need to be a quiet ceremony... are you _certain _that is acceptable to you?"

"To have a large ceremony but have to wait six months to a year for it... or to have a simple ceremony and become your wife in four months. For me there is no question. I want to be with you, Ian... and I do not want to wait one minute longer than absolutely necessary."

Ian grinned and bent down to steal one more kiss, then he walked with long loping strides to where his carriage waited to return him to London.

Kitty tried to smile until he was out of sight, but her smile was punctuated by tears. She turned to discover that Elizabeth had stepped out to collect her. With a sob, Kitty flew into her older sister's arms.

Elizabeth held her sister close, not caring about her dress being wetted. She understood all too well. Having accepted Fitzwilliam Darcy's proposal, she now had to wait six months before she would become his bride. Lady Catherine had instead that "if you are to be considered an acceptable bride for a man with Fitzwilliam and Darcy blood, you _must _behave within certain rules. We are the _leaders _of society, not the followers... nevertheless, our legacy requires protection, Elizabeth. You will be in half-mourning in February. That is soon enough."

Her other assertion was that she and Elizabeth must move into the dower house for the duration of their stay, "I will not have it said that my Elizabeth is compromised." Since Darcy wanted Elizabeth to spend as much time as possible with Georgiana and with her own family, he elected to remove himself to the dower house instead. _If I did not love Lady Catherine so much, I might just hate her._

Three weeks had passed and already Elizabeth was seeing the wisdom of Lady Catherine's demands. That first passionate kiss on the day of Darcy's proposal had ignited a passionate interest in both of them to share more... and much more. Six months now seemed an eternity. The solution for Elizabeth was much like the plan for Kitty: Mrs. Reynolds had taken her under her wing and Lizzie was learning everything that she would need to know about being mistress of this great estate and all of her future husband's other properties. Meanwhile Lady Catherine was teaching her all that she would need to know about the social graces... or more specifically how to navigate through the often difficult Ton.

Between Lady Catherine and Mrs. Reynolds, Elizabeth was kept so busy that she and Darcy were sometimes only able to steal minutes of private time on any given day. Most of that was in the wee hours of the morning, where the couple would go for long, pleasant walks and Darcy began acquainting Elizabeth with the many paths of Pemberley.

More than occasionally they would find a particularly private bend in the trail in which to steal kisses... six months was going to be a _very _long time.

As luck would have it, there was soon a great deal to occupy everyone's time.

oOo

It was in the early dawn when Lord Owen Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Matlock, stumbled out of gaming hell where he had spent much of the past twelve hours. He had drank heavily and gambled foolishly. He was leaving now only after handing over all too many vowels. He was not terribly worried about the matter. The money would be found somewhere. What he needed was a woman.

His mind drifted to the dinner he had shared at Matlock House with his wife, Andrew his new heir, and that son's wife. Now _there _was a tasty morsel...

_I have not visited my mistress for a while. I believe that I shall go now and avail myself of her many charms. _With that decision made, he boarded his carriage and directed his man toward his destination. When he arrived, the housekeeper seemed reluctant to allow him to enter. Since he paid for the lease _and _her salary, he felt no remorse in shoving his way past the woman. She was wringing her hands and trying to speak with him as he made his way up the stairs, but he wasn't paying her any mind.

There were strangely familiar sounds, but he paid them little attention as he stumbled down the hallway and burst into his mistress' room. Even as drunk as he was, he instantly understood the activity taking place in the woman's bed. Evangeline screamed. The man who quickly jumped up and tried to cover himself with a blanket tried to protest. The Earl heard none of it as he ran forward in a rage.

Evangeline Adams has chosen this as her boudoir partially due to the large window which allowed her to sit in the mornings and gaze out on the busy street. Now that same window served a different purpose, as an exit. The earl slammed into his rival with such force that both men slammed backward. The man's back struck the window with such force that the glass and wood shattered, leaving both men falling through the air and onto the cobbled road below. Neither man survived the impact.

oOo

"Your family has endured enough scandal, Elizabeth. I think that you should remain here with your father and younger sisters..." Darcy encouraged as they walked together on the lake path. "To be honest, I plan to be a support for Aunt Isabella and the family, but do not intend to remain long."

"But Jane may need me..." Elizabeth mused, more to herself than to her walking partner. "Then again, she has shown herself so strong lately... and now she is suddenly a countess... No, Father and I should attend the funeral in Matlock, but I shall leave London to you."

Darcy squeezed Elizabeth's hand, "That is a good choice. I will miss you while I am gone, but could not be more pleased to have you to come home to. How is Lady Catherine?"

"Shocked... but not surprised. She spoke late into the night about her brother when he was young and how he changed in school. William, when we have a son..." She blushed as her awareness caught up with her words. Trying to ignore the look in Darcy's eyes, she finished, "... we need to think long and hard before sending him away to the corrupting influences of these supposedly elite schools."

Darcy could not resist leaning down to deliver a soft kiss, then moved back only far enough to hold his beloved's eyes, "You may rest assured that together we will safeguard the characters of _all _our _many _sons and daughters throughout their growing years."

Elizabeth blushed even deeper and laughed, "Many? Do you intend to have me gravid all of the time?" The hungry look in her fiancee's eyes spoke volumes, as did the passionate kiss that followed. It was only with great effort that the pair pushed away from each other and resumed walking.

Almost in unison, they spoke their thought aloud, "Six months is too long."

Darcy and Lady Catherine departed for London soon after. The matron had agreed with her nephew and her ward that Elizabeth should not attend them in London. The Earl's scandalous demise would generate enough heat on its own without adding the Bennet name to the flames. Oddly, most people had already forgotten that Lady Jane Fitzwilliam had been a Bennet. Her marriage had taken place before the scandal and she had already begun anchoring her place among the elite beforehand, so she was forgiven her questionable relatives. The Ton would not be so forgiving of Elizabeth.

Jane had married a reverend who became a viscount and was now an earl. Though these events took place in rapid succession, she had not set out to steal a prize of the Ton. Everyone knew that the profligacies of the previous generations had left the Matlock title nearly impoverished and almost morally bankrupt. They might begrudge Jane her new title, but little more. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was set to pluck one of the prize catches of the Ton right out from under the noses of the maids and matrons of the Ton.

The Darcy name were almost spotless and the Darcy coffers were bursting at the seams. Everyone knew that Fitzwilliam Darcy owned half of Derbyshire and held title to other profitable properties as well. There was also much speculation about the young man's investments. He was rumored to have the Midas touch when it came to choosing which projects to support. Add to this the simple fact that he was tall, broad shouldered, and aristocratically handsome and he became one of the most sought-after prizes... and unbeknownst to any of them, Elizabeth had stolen that prize.

Elizabeth had risen from obscurity to become the ward of the de Bourghs, _another _rich and prominent family. Then her own bloodlines had come into question with the accusations of murder, adultery, kidnapping, and other debaucheries... the latter mostly made up out of thin air to spice up the drawing room gossip. The realization that one member of this obscure and tainted family had already gained a title would be nothing to the outrage when the second daughter became the Mistress of Pemberley.

Elizabeth sighed as she watched the Darcy carriage fade into the distance. "I suppose that I should return to Mrs. Reynold's lessons."

oOo

Mary, often overlooked, was perhaps the person who benefited the most from being sequestered away in Pemberley. The primary reason for that was, of course, that her Percy was there with her. While the Pemberley under-steward watched over Longbourn, Percy Griffin was learning under the skilled hand of a master-steward, Miles Reynolds. Reynolds had been to head steward of the vast Pemberley lands ever since John Wickham had passed sixteen years before and his knowledge of land management was encyclopedic.

The search for another Bennet heir was still ongoing, but it was only a matter of due-diligence at this point. When Thomas Bennet had fought with the elder Collins nineteen years ago, he had commissioned his own search for other potential heirs. At the time he was still anticipating the birth of his own son, but he had still wished to remove the Collins name from the list by finding a viable alternative. That search had yielded no names. It seemed that the Bennet line had diminished from a large family to almost nothing in the past few generations. This meant that there was no male heir to be found.

In such an instance the entail required that the property go to the eldest daughter. Jane and her husband had already notified him that they would make no claim to the property. Thomas had wanted to pass Longbourn on to Elizabeth, but she had kindly but firmly pointed her father to Mary. Elizabeth did not require more than she would gain as the wife of Fitzwilliam Darcy. Mary, on the other hand... if Mary were to wed Percy, then the sisters were confident that the pair would grow and proper the Bennet lands. Thomas had off-handedly suggested that Griffin change his last name to Bennet, but as that was not a requirement of the entail, both Percy and Mary had refused.

Now Mary sat on a garden bench and watched as the elderly Mr. Reynolds taught Griffin how to place and build succession houses. He and Mary had agreed that the poorly managed and oft-neglected little park beside the Longbourn manor house would give way to a conservatory system. Not only would this yield produce which was seldom available in Meryton, but it would extend the property's production throughout the year. Having grown up with an indolent father, one of Percy's best features in Mary's mind was his diligence and dedication.

_It doesn't hurt that he is also very handsome_, Mary thought wish a blush. She shared her sisters' feelings of frustration about having to wait six months to wed. Being the most moral of the sisters, she was surprised at how much she longed for the physical aspects of that delayed event. Perhaps it was the fact that she loved Percy's kisses so much?

The only ones who seemed to enjoy their removal to Permberley without reservation were Georgiana Darcy and Lydia Bennet. The two had almost immediately become fast friends. Georgiana's grace, accomplishments, and shy demeanor seemed a huge contrast to Lydia's lack of accomplishments and boisterous personality, but somehow they fit. Georgiana was becoming more open and assertive under the example of her friend, while Lydia was finally pursuing her own lessons and accomplishments with enthusiasm. When they weren't learning, they were riding the estate or working in the flower garden or planning some mischief. They were often nowhere to be seen, but their giggling could be heard in the corridors.

Darcy had been concerned at first, but after he saw the joy in his sister's smile and was reassured of her continued diligence in her lessons, he chose to step back. Just as Elizabeth had brought joy into his life, he was pleased when another Bennet sister was doing the same for his dear sister.

oOo

In London, and then later in Matlock, Jane learned how to be a countess under the gentle but firm guidance of Lady Isabella. The family had to all but retrench under the financial burden that the late Earl had left behind. Andrew reassured Jane and his mother that both the family's finances and their good name could be restored and he threw himself into accomplishing both.

Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam had been called back to England's shores for the funeral. He was now the viscount, yet he knew that it was only a temporary title until Andrew had a son. With the obvious love and passion that his elder brother and his beautiful wife shared, Richard doubted that it would be too long. He spent a portion of his leave at Pemberley, meeting the three beautiful Bennet daughters that he had not met before. With Jane married and Elizabeth, Mary, and Kitty all engaged, that only left Lydia single. She was much too young for the grizzled veteran.

The good colonel hid his envy of his cousin during his visit. Though Jane was unquestionably the most beautiful Bennet, Elizabeth was still stunning and her lively, intelligent nature the most appealing to Richard. _Darcy is a very lucky man_

Richard had his own blessings. With his father and spendthrift oldest brother gone, his mother finally felt safe to release her own inheritance. Her father's estate, Glenview Reach, had been willed to her in such a manner that her husband could not touch it. During his visit to Matlock Lady Isabella had signed that property over to Richard. Well-managed, it yielded seven-thousand pounds per annum. Richard could hang up his spurs and his sword if he so chose. His mother wisely did not make this a condition of her gift. She knew that her son wanted to see the fight against France to the end.

Lady Catherine had intended to use Rosings to support her nephew and hopefully pull him out of harm's way. Now that the young man had Glenview she felt free to consider other options. Her eyes fell on Elizabeth, who was sitting with Mrs. Reynolds and going over the menus for the following week. Anne had been Catherine's daughter by blood and so very dear. Elizabeth was not the daughter of her body, but she was most assuredly the daughter of her heart. _Rosings and my people would be in good hands with Elizabeth... and if she brought Rosings into her marriage, nobody could accuse her of being a penniless waif._

Having made her decision, Lady Catherine went to her suite of rooms and began composing a detailed letter to her solicitor.

oOo

_**Notes: **Sort of a sleepy chapter, but necessary to bring certain matters to a close. Only one chapter left before the finish line. Thank you for staying with the story._

_* From 1691 until 1823 the Postmaster General was divided between the Whigs and the Tories, with the one whose government was in power holding the greatest sway. This divided the patronage of this lucrative position, but it also led to conflicts. With a divided system, one man might wish to reform the corrupt post, while the other wished to continue to enjoy the filthy lucre. This story will make no assertions concerning who fit into which category. There is, however, historical evidence that Lord Thomas Pelham was attempting to introduce certain reforms._


End file.
